Rijst, chocolade, vlees en boter: allemaal producten die je misschien niet meteen associeert met je eigen dagelijkse waterverbruik. Toch zijn er duizenden liters water nodig voor de productie van deze goederen — water dat voor het overgrote deel niet bij ons vandaan komt. Mira Sys interviewde onderzoeker Rick Hogeboom over deze onzichtbare waterstroom.
‘I remember, five years ago, I was hit by a sad and troubling news item, showing a dairy farmer in Ethiopia, I recall his name was Dawit. Dawit lost all his livestock because of water shortages in his region, there was just not enough water for his animals to stay alive, and the dreaded dry season had not even started yet. [...] A researcher by background, I had to dive deeper, and grapple the cause of Dawit’s affliction. And to my great surprise I discovered that it was I myself that was impacting this Ethiopian farmer’s livelihood because of what I do, and because of how I live.’