WATER SCARCITY FOOTPRINT

Researchers at Tulane and the University of Michigan examined the water-use impacts of individual diets in the United States, while considering regional variations in water scarcity. They found meat consumption is the top contributor to the water scarcity footprint of the average U.S. diet, accounting for 31% of the impacts. The study combines the types and quantities of foods in the diets of individuals, the irrigation water required to produce those foods, and the relative scarcity of water where the irrigation occurs.

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