The Water Food Energy Nexus and Sustainability
Gary Lawrence, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer
Brilliant
Brilliant
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The Food Water Energy Nexus
The Water Food Energy Nexus - an animation
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There is no sustainable solution without a water solution
Electricity generation accounts
for 39% of all U.S. freshwater
withdrawals
70% of global freshwater
withdrawal used to irrigate
30% of global crop production
Global groundwater footprint is
currently 3.5 times actual area
of aquifers
Global crop production must
double by 2,050 to feed 9
billion
40% of all U.S. rivers, lakes
and coastal waters are too
polluted for swimming, fishing
or drinking
More than 40% of this
pollution is agricultural-based
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A Texas Example
Texas consumes more electricity
than any other state
86% of power is generated by coal
and natural gas
2011 drought stressed power
generation
The population will double by 2060
to 46 million
Demand for water will increase by
27%
80% of Texas is in some form of
agriculture
The agriculture sector grows 5.3%
annually
Almost 80% of groundwater
withdrawal is for irrigation
Pumping of aquifers already
exceeds recharge in some areas
Texas has ambitious bio-fuel plans
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Cheers!
It takes 17 million barrels of
oil to meet Americans’
demand for bottled water
This excludes the cost of
transportation, refrigeration
and recycling
It takes 3 liters of water to
make a 1 liter bottle of water
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There is no Planet B
Sustainability matters.
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We have the technology
We have the tools to assess
systems use holistically.
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Public opinion matters
Greater transparency of use
and cost can be a big driver
of change.
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Policy and adoption
Utilities, business and
government together are in a
powerful position to lead
policy reform.
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Living well within our resources
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Thank You