Why is this important you may wonder? Recently I was introduced to the concept of Virtual Water, which is simply the amount of water used or contaminated in the production of something. This equation is not a 1+1=2 because many of the raw materials come from areas facing water scarcity and the pressure to export depletes the already scarce freshwater resources. Where water is scarce, (especially poor) communities face difficulties more than ever. Add to this the carbon footprint of transportation.