Speaker: Scott Meschke, PhD, MS, JD; Professor and Assistant Chair for Academic Services, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, UW; Adjunct Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UW

About the Autumn Seminar Series: Fresh water is the world’s most precious natural resource. Water scarcity is both a natural and human-made phenomenon. As rivers and aquifers are being depleted, water stewardship is the key to nutrition security for the planet. No water, no food.

Each food and each diet has an ecological footprint. Whereas real water needs for hydration are around 2-4 L/day, it takes about 3,000 L of virtual water to provide ~2,000 kcal of food. This needs to come from so-called green water (rainfall,) blue water (surface and groundwater), and grey water (relatively clean waste water). Global freshwater supplies are distributed unevenly and too much water is wasted, polluted, and unsustainably managed. Issues of water rights touch on food sovereignty, health diplomacy, and international trade.

The Nutritional Sciences Autumn 2017 Seminar will address water equity issues directly, drawing on food, nutrition, and population health experts from within and outside the UW. The seminar is open to all UW students, faculty, and staff.