Water is one of the most prevalent natural resources in the production and consumption of our everyday goods and services, but do we know how much we use in each process?
La Water footprint It is an environmental indicator that defines the total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services we commonly consume. It is a necessary variable that tells us how much water it costs to manufacture a product. The water footprint is measured in units of volume (liters or cubic meters) per unit of product manufactured or service consumed.
TYPES OF WATER FOOTPRINT
The water footprint is made up of three elements depending on the source of the water:
- Green water footprintIt is the water from precipitation (rain and snow) that is stored in the soil, in the root zone, and is then evaporated, transpired, or absorbed by plants. It is particularly relevant for products agricultural, horticultural and forestry.
- Blue water footprintWater: This is water that comes from underground or surface water resources and that either evaporates during the production of a good, is incorporated into it, or is discharged into the sea. irrigated agriculture, industry and domestic use water sources can have a blue water footprint.
- Grey water footprint: serves as an indicator of level of water pollution The sweet footprint derived from the entire production and marketing process of a product. The grey water footprint is the value resulting from calculating the amount of water needed to dilute the pollutants until the water is clean enough to pass the quality controls required by law.
HOW IS THE WATER FOOTPRINT MEASURED?
A country's water footprint is determined by four factors:
- Total consumption volumeThere is, of course, a correlation between a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and its water footprint. The higher the GDP, the larger the water footprint.
- Consumption patterns: A country's consumption habits determine its water footprint, especially the consumption of products that require a high amount of water for their production.
- ClimateIn countries with high temperatures and, therefore, higher evaporative demand, crops require a greater volume of water.
- Agricultural practicesCountries with low agricultural yields due to inefficiency have high water footprints.
The Water Footprint makes us aware of the water consumption we need in all our activities. It provides us with a benchmark for our water use and, above all, helps us assess where we can improve as an organization. It serves as a starting point for establishing efficient water management and setting objectives.
As an organization GDI It seeks ways to promote recycling, reuse, and eco-friendly consumption within the facilities, as this allows us to reduce our water footprint.
We are seeking to digitize various materials to reduce paper usage, and we are implementing technology to help us reduce waste and minimize certain types of pollution. We will gradually implement various activities to establish an environmental quality system.