Not a drop to drink

Just when you thought you had come to terms with your carbon footprint, now it seems we must all start to consider our water …

Just when you thought you had come to terms with your carbon footprint, now it seems we must all start to consider our water footprint.

Yes indeed, more grim environmental news comes courtesy of a new book, The World’s Water 2008-2009 by Peter Gleick, which illustrates how up to 1,120 litres of water go into producing a single litre of coffee, once you take into consideration growing the beans, packing the coffee, and so on. Tea drinkers can take some comfort in the fact that only 120 litres go into making the same amount of cha. I guess the beverage of choice for 2009 should be boiled rainwater.

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp

Domini Kemp, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a chef and food writer