Newzity

37 gallons. 8 ounces used to actually brew the coffee, and the rest to grow, process, package and ship the beans.

Unlike traditional measures of water consumption, water footprint measures the total volume of freshwater used in making a product, giving a fresh perspective to the amount of water consumed by individuals, businesses and nations. Here’s the the water footprint for a few other common items: 800 gallons for a gallon of milk, 1340 gallons for a pound of wheat, and 9300 gallons for a pound of beef. With water projected to become more and more scarce in the 21st century, and wars expected to be fought over it, water footprint can be predicted to become a part of popular conscience in the near future.

Meanwhile, any guesses on what the water footprint of a cup of Starbucks coffee be? One thing’s for sure, it will definitely be way more than 37 gallons.