REAL-LIFE SKILLS 4 Read the text and follow the instructions. How do we use water? There are two types of water use: direct and indirect (or virtual). Water Footprint use includes water from a tap for things like flushing the toilet, washing clothes and watering the lawn. Direct water use, also called “embedded water”, is the water “hidden” in the products, services and processes you buy and use every day, like crop irrigation, power production and consumer goods manufacturing. For example, the water necessary for growing cotton for your jeans or processing your hamburger meat. Indirect or “virtual” water A water footprint measures how your choices and habits affect your water use inside and outside of your home, through the food you eat, the products you buy and even the energy you use. Do you know how much water is consumed for these habits and activities? Ask and answer questions in turn with your partner and then compare the result with your classroom mates. 5 Follow the instructions. Go online to look for specific information about indirect or virtual water use. Explore the impact your food consumption habits have on your virtual water use and think about how your diet is influenced by systems like social groups, advertising, home and school. Write a short report about the results of your research and share the concept of virtual water footprint.