Conservation/Environment Water Trivia
Here are some fun facts about the most common substance found on earth:
Water is the only substance found naturally in three forms: solid, liquid and gas.
The amount of water is constant and recycled throughout time; it is possible to drink water that was part of the dinosaur era.
About 2 gallons of water are used to brush your teeth.
Forty trillion gallons of water a day are carried in the atmosphere across the U.S.
Nearly 2 gallons of water go down the drain when the kitchen faucet is run until the water is cold.
One gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds; one cubic foot contains 7.48 gallons of water.
People need about 2.5 quarts of water a day (from drinking or eating) to maintain good health. A person can live without water for approximately one week, depending upon the conditions.
About 74 percent of home water use is in the bathroom, about 21 percent is for laundry and cleaning, and about 5 percent is in the kitchen.
A typical garden hose can deliver 50 gallons of water in just 5 minutes.
Almost 4,000 gallons of water are needed to grow one bushel of corn, 11,000 gallons to grow one bushel of wheat, and about 135,000 gallons to grow one ton of alfalfa.
It takes about 1,000 gallons of water to grow the wheat to make a 2-pound loaf of bread, and about 120 gallons to produce one egg. Approximately 48,000 gallons are needed to produce the typical American Thanksgiving dinner for eight people.
It takes 39,000 gallons of water to produce the average domestic auto, including tires.
Producing an average-sized Sunday newspaper requires about 150 gallons of water.
Water makes up almost two-thirds of the human body and 70 percent of the brain.
Nearly 1,400 gallons of water are used to produce a meal of a quarter-pound hamburger, an order of fries and a soft drink.
Four hundred gallons of water are recycled through our kidneys each day.
Almost 1,800 gallons of water are needed to produce the cotton in a pair of jeans and 400 gallons to produce the cotton in a shirt.
Water makes up 80 percent of an earthworm, 70 percent of a chicken, and 70 percent of an elephant.
Water makes up 90 percent of a tomato and 80 percent of pineapples and corn.
It can take up to 45 minutes for a water supplier to produce one glass of drinking water.
You can refill an 8 oz. glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a 6-pack of soda pop.
The average person uses 80 gallons of water per day.
Sources:
- Columbia-Willamette Water Conservation Coalition
- Environmental Protection Agency
- The Water Conservation Coalition of Puget Sound
- American Water Works Association