While many people focus on saving water by turning off the sink while you brush your teeth and taking shorter showers, the focus is shifted away from how much water irrigation and other agriculture techniques use. Today developed countries have started to try and conserved water through various methods and inventions such as, water saving toilets, sinks, and showers. One of the major areas that we do not think of water waste is agriculture, one of the biggest uses for freshwater in the world. According to the USDA 80 percent of the nation’s water usage goes to Agriculture and over 90 percent in Western states. According to Johnathan Foley “Agriculture is the single most powerful force released on this planet sine the Ice Age” (Foley). The United
…show more content…
Geological Survey is spray irrigation which uses center-pivot systems. These involve pumping underground water from a point in the middle of a circular field to a center pivot system that distributes the water (USGS). An array of water tubes suspended form a metal frame with wheels and a “water gun” at the end. These systems work very efficiently where there is not much wind or heat. But in dry and windy areas most of the water is blown away or evaporates from the fields before the water reaches the ground. (Aillery).One method to combat water waste is using a pipe that gently sprayed water onto the field and reduces waste. These systems use underground aquifers which can take thousands of years to be replenished and if most of the water is evaporating or blown away may never be …show more content…
According to Water footprint network, “Animal products demand considerably higher amounts of water than do most other food types”. For example, One ounce of beef takes about 106.28 gallons to produce (Kyle Kim) this amount of water is used through feed, water consumed by the animal and water used in processing and packing the meat. Lamb uses 84.68 gallons of water per ounce to produce according to global averages. Pork uses less water but not by much 41.25 gallons of water are used for each ounce of meat (Kyle Kim). “Cutting animal products from our diet can significantly help our conservation efforts” according to the Los Angeles times (Kyle Kim). An eight ounce serving of milk uses 43.8 gallons of water to produce from cattle. (Kyle Kim). If the United States switched to a more vegetarian diet water usage could be significantly
Geological Survey is spray irrigation which uses center-pivot systems. These involve pumping underground water from a point in the middle of a circular field to a center pivot system that distributes the water (USGS). An array of water tubes suspended form a metal frame with wheels and a “water gun” at the end. These systems work very efficiently where there is not much wind or heat. But in dry and windy areas most of the water is blown away or evaporates from the fields before the water reaches the ground. (Aillery).One method to combat water waste is using a pipe that gently sprayed water onto the field and reduces waste. These systems use underground aquifers which can take thousands of years to be replenished and if most of the water is evaporating or blown away may never be …show more content…
According to Water footprint network, “Animal products demand considerably higher amounts of water than do most other food types”. For example, One ounce of beef takes about 106.28 gallons to produce (Kyle Kim) this amount of water is used through feed, water consumed by the animal and water used in processing and packing the meat. Lamb uses 84.68 gallons of water per ounce to produce according to global averages. Pork uses less water but not by much 41.25 gallons of water are used for each ounce of meat (Kyle Kim). “Cutting animal products from our diet can significantly help our conservation efforts” according to the Los Angeles times (Kyle Kim). An eight ounce serving of milk uses 43.8 gallons of water to produce from cattle. (Kyle Kim). If the United States switched to a more vegetarian diet water usage could be significantly