מים

Facts:

-70% of our earth is covered in water
-97.5% of this is salt water (undrinkable and mostly unusable)
-2.5% is fresh water
-----70% of this fresh water is frozen and or unaccessible for human use
-----1% of the remaining fresh water is available for human- industrial, agricultural use
-----87% of this water is used for agriculture

Now consider this:

1 pound of beef = (needs) 1,500 gallons of water
1 pound of wheat = 25 gallons of water

To grow 1 pound of beef on a cow's body, the animal has to drink 1,500 gallons of water.
An average beef cattle usual weighs around 1200 pounds.
The consumable parts are about half that- 600 pounds.
So 1 cow must consume AT LEAST 900,000 gallons of water to sustain it (600 X 1,500 = 900,000) in order for us to consume it.

Now try to multiply that by the several billion tons of beef this country alone consumes and the trillion tons of water it takes to nourish all the animals in order for us for us to eat them. That is a lot of water.

Conversely, it takes 25 gallons of water to grow 1 pound of wheat. Imagine how many people we could feed when far less water goes such a long way.

Did you know California and the American southwest is in a drought? Our closest freshwater resource is the Colorado river, and that is not very close. If it weren't for the engineering advancements of aqueducts and damns that bring us water from afar, no one could live in Los Angeles (because there is no natural freshwater source here!). Also, population is bigger than it has ever been, and our governator has even proposed water rationing in southern California.

Conclusive application?

Consider making food choice that require less water to produce. Do not waste water. Fresh water is not an easily renewed resource around here.
Most people don't have the heroic ability to be vegetarians, but you can still do your part by eating less meat. The less we eat and make demand of it, the less it will be produced.
Maybe eat meat only once or twice a week? Go eat some lentils. It won't kill you. Maybe it will do the opposite.

Sci American blog*
Daniel 1:11-16*

Be more aware and socially/environmentally responsible. We only get 1 earth for all known time.

(side note: Every day people are increasing disproportionately to the mortality rate. This means more water, more food, more production, more consumption, more pollution, more of everything for everyone all of the time, increasing exponentially every second. We are on our way to world population reaching its peak, and then it will decline due to economic reasons, health concerns, land exhaustion and environmental hazards.
What can be done? Abstain from procreation. We've increased and multiplied enough. If you can, ADOPT children that need parents! That is missions. Adoption should not be a alien idea with a stigma attached to it. Many of us are adopted. What if God had never adopted you?)