What is a Water Footprint?
A person’s Water Footprint (WA) is the total volume of water needed for cleanliness, nutrition, transportation and purchasing habits (Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2006).
The Water Footprint (WA) is an empirical indicator, which expresses the volume of water consumed and polluted throughout the production process of a product (Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2006).
Virtual or invisible or hidden water refers to the amount of water used in the complete production of a product or service (London Group, 1990).
What are the components of a watermark?
The watermark is divided into three main categories:
GREEN
Water Footprint
The green component is of prominent importance for the agricultural sector and refers to the part of the rain that has been stored in the soil as moisture and which is either evaporated from the soil or used by plants to meet their needs.
BLUE
Water Footprint
The blue component is an indicator of the impoundment of blue water, i.e. fresh water originating from the surface and groundwater resources of a watershed.
GREY
Water Footprint
The gray component reflects the pollution level of a water body and is defined as the volume of water required to assimilate the pollutant load so that the water quality remains within specified levels.
Στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 1980, οι οικονομικοί σύμβουλοι του Ισραήλ που ασχολούνταν με τον αγροτικό τομέα, εξέφρασαν τις ανησυχίες τους για τις εξαγωγές προϊόντων που προέρχονται από τις υδροφόρες καλλιέργειες .
Η ερευνητική ομάδα London Group (SOAS-Water Research Unit) εισήγαγε τον όρο “εικονικό νερό” και η συμβουλή τους προς το Ισραήλ ήταν να εισάγει η χώρα προϊόντα πλούσια σε εικονικό νερό και όχι να τα παράγει.
- Ο Antony J. Allan δημοσιεύει ένα άρθρο όπου αναφέρει πως οι φτωχές σε υδατικούς πόρους χώρες είναι αναγκαίο να εισάγουν τρόφιμα που προέρχονται από υδροβόρες καλλιέργειες, αντί να τα παράγουν.
- Η UNESCO-IHE (Institute for Water Education) έκανε την αρχή για τον σχεδιασμό μοντέλου για τον προσδιορισμό του “εικονικού νερού”.
Ο A.Y. Hoekstra για πρώτη φορά εισάγει τον όρο Υδατικό Αποτύπωμα (Water Footprint). Η πρώτη αναφορά συμπεριλάμβανε την χρήση μόνο του μπλε νερού.
Ο A.Y. Hoekstra με τον A. K. Chapagain συμπεριλαμβάνουν για πρώτη φορά την χρήση του “πράσινου νερού”. ( Hoekstra & Chapagain , 2006)
In the early 1980s, Israel’s agricultural economic advisers expressed concern about exports of irrigated crop products.
The research group London Group (SOAS-Water Research Unit) introduced the term “virtual water” and their advice to Israel was that the country should import products rich in virtual water, not produce it.
- Antony J. Allan publishes an article where he states that water-poor countries need to import food from water-bearing crops, instead of producing them.
- UNESCO-IHE (Institute for Water Education) initiated the design of a model to determine “virtual water”.
A.Y. Hoekstra for the first time introduces the term Water Footprint. The first report included the use of only blue water.
A.Y. Hoekstra with A. K. Chapagain include for the first time the use of “green water”. (Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2006).
A. K. Chapagain adds the factor of pollution i.e. gray water.
In the early 1980s, Israel’s agricultural economic advisers expressed concern about exports of irrigated crop products.
The research group London Group (SOAS-Water Research Unit) introduced the term “virtual water” and their advice to Israel was that the country should import products rich in virtual water, not produce it.
- Antony J. Allan publishes an article where he states that water-poor countries need to import food from water-bearing crops, instead of producing them.
- UNESCO-IHE (Institute for Water Education) initiated the design of a model to determine “virtual water”.
A.Y. Hoekstra for the first time introduces the term Water Footprint. The first report included the use of only blue water.
A. K. Chapagain adds the factor of pollution i.e. gray water.
Ο A. K. Chapagain προσθέτει τον παράγοντα της ρύπανσης, δηλαδή το γκρίζο νερό.