Water quality and quantity
Image: Mike Grasar
Swimming in the Thames, as I did this weekend, brings the issue of water quality to the top of one’s mind. Like surfers, people who swim in the open water are very aware of the issue of water and pollution.
So, although our swim was very pleasant and not plagued by anything such as algae blooms, plastics or sewage being dumped, this is not the case everywhere. As we all contend with fires raging in different parts of Europe and the US, it seems climate change and the environment are still top of the list for people’s concerns. It seems very relevant, particularly in countries such as the UK that has historically not had to deal with these extremes in temperatures.
Farmers of course, know exactly how the climate is changing. Wyke Farms in the UK notes it gets the same amount of rain it is used to, but the patterns are more erratic in heavier, shorter bursts, so the water runs off, rather than into the soil and raising the water table. This is why it has a water recovery module to save 70% of the water used in the dairy.
The cheese maker also works with its farmers to make their operations greener, and notes its farmers have carbon footprints that are 20% lower than the UK average.
Meanwhile, Wyke Farms’ organic cheddar brand, British Organic Dairy Co. has moved into the US market, with over 2,400 listings across the nation, Omsco announced last week. These rural businesses continue to support the local economy, while providing global lovers of good cheese with quality products. They’re also good environmental stewards, using everything from anaerobic digestion, to biogas and solar panels to help keep our water and our larger planet, a place where everyone wants to live.
- Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
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