Comments on: The anatomy of a latte http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:08:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Beyond Green « MIT Sloan Management Review http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-104601 Beyond Green « MIT Sloan Management Review Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:03:20 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-104601 [...] Marc Gunther relays these figures from the WWF’s Jason Clay on the amount of water in a latte. The total? Over 200 litres for one cup. Here’s the breakdown, by liters, of the water needed to make that latte: [...] [...] Marc Gunther relays these figures from the WWF’s Jason Clay on the amount of water in a latte. The total? Over 200 litres for one cup. Here’s the breakdown, by liters, of the water needed to make that latte: [...]

]]> By: Peter T Knight http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-102252 Peter T Knight Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:47:53 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-102252 Marc, you are right to caution that raw data should be seen in context. Environmentalists have been frightening concerned consumers by using big numbers to scare people for some time now. Remember the question: “How much land would be needed to grow the corn, to feed the chickens, if every person in China were to eat an egg for breakfast?” Answer: Australia. Although the real answer is a lot more complicated and involves demographics, technology, culture and the ability to take appropriate action. Data on embedded water are fascinating. But what do I do with this information? I can use a travel mug to drink my coffee, but how do I reduce the water in my computer? Or the water it takes to keep your blog afloat on the web? Marc, you are right to caution that raw data should be seen in context. Environmentalists have been frightening concerned consumers by using big numbers to scare people for some time now. Remember the question: “How much land would be needed to grow the corn, to feed the chickens, if every person in China were to eat an egg for breakfast?” Answer: Australia. Although the real answer is a lot more complicated and involves demographics, technology, culture and the ability to take appropriate action.

Data on embedded water are fascinating. But what do I do with this information? I can use a travel mug to drink my coffee, but how do I reduce the water in my computer? Or the water it takes to keep your blog afloat on the web?

]]> By: Nancy http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-101873 Nancy Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:43:09 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-101873 Marc -- Great post. When I was working with PlayPumps while at the Case Foundation, we created a really cool website (www.knowh2o.org) to help educate people of all ages about the world water crisis. Anyone who found your post today interesting might want to check out the site above, take the water quiz, and learn about the water required for all sorts of things, from making a pair of blue jeans to flushing a toilet. Enjoy! Marc —

Great post. When I was working with PlayPumps while at the Case Foundation, we created a really cool website (www.knowh2o.org) to help educate people of all ages about the world water crisis. Anyone who found your post today interesting might want to check out the site above, take the water quiz, and learn about the water required for all sorts of things, from making a pair of blue jeans to flushing a toilet.

Enjoy!

]]> By: Darren Toth http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-101695 Darren Toth Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:48:23 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-101695 I couldn't agree more with Clay and his opinion on Genetically Modified food. I don't think we should go overboard on testing the limits, but the simple fact is that there isn't enough land to feed everyone, and the space/people gap grows every day. Some people are afraid of modified food though, and I think that there fear comes from the way people "package" the information about it. What I mean by "packaging" is just like the way Clay describes the latte. I understand it is written in that way to make people aware of what goes into our everyday products, but one must admit upon first glance that it is a bit alarmist. Sure, once you realize that the water comes from storms, and it is part of nature, and that most of that water goes right back into the cycle... But the first impression in the mind is of water being pulled from some tiny reservoir, starving out the indigenous flora and fauna of pristine lands. Please, I'm not suggesting Clay is trying to incite something, or that this is a tactic used only by a select few; he's just making a point, and it is a good one. My problem is what people do with bits of information like that, on either side of any argument. Of course I'm for anything that brings people to conserve more, but people often take extreme sides, and that really takes the focus off the realities. Back to the case of Genetically Modified foods, the case against it (with some) is that this "Frankenfood" is bad for you. There is so much hype built around the possible health risks, that other issues of GMOs--patents that allow lawyers to sue small farmers who accidentally have patented seed spill on their land--are going unnoticed in the mainstream media. The "committed and well-informed consumer" is depending on good information, but there seems to be a catch in informing them. You've got to get there attention, but the big picture always spills over the page. I couldn’t agree more with Clay and his opinion on Genetically Modified food. I don’t think we should go overboard on testing the limits, but the simple fact is that there isn’t enough land to feed everyone, and the space/people gap grows every day.
Some people are afraid of modified food though, and I think that there fear comes from the way people “package” the information about it.
What I mean by “packaging” is just like the way Clay describes the latte. I understand it is written in that way to make people aware of what goes into our everyday products, but one must admit upon first glance that it is a bit alarmist. Sure, once you realize that the water comes from storms, and it is part of nature, and that most of that water goes right back into the cycle…
But the first impression in the mind is of water being pulled from some tiny reservoir, starving out the indigenous flora and fauna of pristine lands.
Please, I’m not suggesting Clay is trying to incite something, or that this is a tactic used only by a select few; he’s just making a point, and it is a good one.
My problem is what people do with bits of information like that, on either side of any argument. Of course I’m for anything that brings people to conserve more, but people often take extreme sides, and that really takes the focus off the realities. Back to the case of Genetically Modified foods, the case against it (with some) is that this “Frankenfood” is bad for you. There is so much hype built around the possible health risks, that other issues of GMOs–patents that allow lawyers to sue small farmers who accidentally have patented seed spill on their land–are going unnoticed in the mainstream media.
The “committed and well-informed consumer” is depending on good information, but there seems to be a catch in informing them. You’ve got to get there attention, but the big picture always spills over the page.

]]> By: CV Harquail http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-101634 CV Harquail Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:14:26 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-101634 Marc, This post really hits me where I live...So I'll be more thoughtful in my latte habits and save 7 liters by consistently reusing my travel mug. (I accounted for 1 liter to wash the mug.) Marc, This post really hits me where I live…So I’ll be more thoughtful in my latte habits and save 7 liters by consistently reusing my travel mug. (I accounted for 1 liter to wash the mug.)

]]> By: GreenMonk news roundup 02/26/2009 http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/02/25/the-anatomy-of-a-latte/comment-page-1/#comment-101516 GreenMonk news roundup 02/26/2009 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:31:20 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=517#comment-101516 [...] Marc Gunther » The anatomy of a latte [...] [...] Marc Gunther » The anatomy of a latte [...]

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