For those of you that think that vegans use more water due their diets here are a few facts.
Please before you make absolute statements have evidence based research to back your words.
Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) water use ranges from 70-140 billion gallons annually.
“Draft Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources.” EPA Office of Research and Development. United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2011.
Animal agriculture water consumption ranges from 34-76 trillion gallons annually. [ii] [xv]
Pimentel, David, et al. “Water Resources: Agricultural And Environmental Issues.” BioScience 54, no. 10 (2004): 909-18.
Barber, N.L., “Summary of estimated water use in the United States in 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2009–3098.”
Agriculture is responsible for 80-90% of US water consumption. [xv]
“USDA ERS – Irrigation & Water Use.” United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. 2013.
Growing feed crops for livestock consumes 56% of water in the US. [xv]
Jacobson, Michael F. “More and Cleaner Water.” In Six Arguments for a Greener Diet: How a More Plant-based Diet Could save Your Health and the Environment. Washington, DC: Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2006.
Californians use 1500 gallons of water per person per day. Close to Half is associated with meat and dairy products.
Pacific Institute, "California's Water Footprint"
2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of beef.
(NOTE. The amount of water used to produce 1lb. of beef vary greatly from 442 - 8000 gallons. We choose to use in the film the widely cited conservative number of 2500 gallons per pound of US beef from Dr. George Borgstrom, Chairman of Food Science and Human Nutrition Dept of College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University, "Impacts on Demand for and Quality of land and Water." )
Oxford Journals. "Water Resources: Agricultural and Environmental Issues"
The World's Water. "Water Content of Things"
Journal of Animal Science. "Estimation of the water requirement for beef production in the United States."
Robbins, John. “2,500 Gallons, All Wet?” EarthSave
Meateater’s Guide to Climate Change & Health.” Environmental Working Group.
“Water Footprint Assessment.” University of Twente, the Netherlands.
Oppenlander, Richard A. Food Choice and Sustainability: Why Buying Local, Eating Less Meat, and Taking Baby Steps Won’t Work. Minneapolis, MN: Langdon Street, 2013. Print
477 gallons of water are required to produce 1lb. of eggs; almost 900 gallons of water are needed for 1lb. of cheese.
“Meateater’s Guide to Climate Change & Health.” Environmental Working Group.
1,000 gallons of water are required to produce 1 gallon of milk.
Water Footprint Network, "Product Water Footprints".
A Global Assessment of the Water Footprint of Farm Animal Products, WFN.
5% of water consumed in the US is by private homes. 55% of water consumed in the US is for animal agriculture. [xv]
Jacobson, Michael F. “More and Cleaner Water.” In Six Arguments for a Greener Diet: How a More Plant-based Diet Could save Your Health and the Environment. Washington, DC: Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2006.
Animal Agriculture is responsible for 20%-33% of all fresh water consumption in the world today.
1/5 of global water consumption:
27%-30%+ of global water consummation is for animal agriculture.
1/3 of global fresh water consumed is for animal ag.
“Freshwater Abuse and Loss: Where Is It All Going?” Forks Over Knives.
- LAND -
Livestock or livestock feed occupies 1/3 of the earth’s ice-free land.
FAO. "Livestock a major threat to environment"
Livestock covers 45% of the earth’s total land.
Thornton, Phillip, Mario Herrero, and Polly Ericksen. “Livestock and Climate Change.” Livestock Exchange, no. 3 (2011).
IPCC AR5 WG# Chapter 11, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Us (AFOLU)
