Water is a component of everything we eat, the clothes we wear and the products we buy. Modern life functions because of the hidden (or embodied) water in our goods. It may not surprise you to know that it takes around 200 litres of water for a five-minute shower, and around eight litres to flush a toilet or brush your teeth. You can see this water as you use it and, if you are conscious of saving the resource, might even do something to stop overusing it.

But most of the water we use is hidden. It takes nearly 200 litres of water to grow the coffee beans in one cup and the same again for ...

 

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