The Carbon Footprint of Water
Just like producing anything, pumping and treating our city's water uses energy! Here in Missoula, we get our water from an aquifer 40 feet below our feet. A system of pumps takes the water out of the aquifer and moves it up to the surface to be treated. These pumps use a lot of energy. In Missoula, pumping and treating water and wastewater amount to 58% of our city's municipal CO2 emissions.
How does it all work?
This is a simplified model of Missoula's water system.
Almost every action we take uses water- even if we don't see it. When watering our lawns or brushing our teeth it is obvious that we are using water, but other activities including buying new jeans, eating a burger for lunch, and even driving contribute to our total water consumption as well. Growing the cotton to produce just one pair of news jeans takes 1,800 gallons of water!
Reducing your personal water consumption can lower your total carbon footprint. Check out this water footprint calculator to calculate your household's water consumption. |
Ways to Reduce Personal Water Consumption
Making dietary changes to a more plant based diet, conserving water both indoors and outdoors, saving energy, and buying less all reduce water consumption. Learn more here!
This page brought to you by Rachel Edmondson