Just as we each have a carbon footprint, we also have a water footprint. This takes into account all the water that we use in our lives, not just water we can see when we turn on the tap but also the water used to rear and grow our food, make our clothes, everything. This is called embedded water.

The water you can see being used amounts to around 150 litres per person a day. Add in the embedded water and this figure rises to 4645 litres. Here’s where some of that water is found:

• 30 litres of water are used to make one cup of tea

• It takes 140 litres to make one cup of coffee

• A bottle of beer requires 150 litres of water

• 200 litres of water are used to make one can of cola

• It takes 440 litres of water to make one loaf of bread

• 2,900 litres is used to make one cotton shirt

• Rearing a cow for beef uses up a huge amount of water – it takes 3,875 litres to produce one steak

• An incredible 10,850 litres of water is used to make one pair of jeans.