These topics and more in this special edition of Living Planet dedicated to our most precious resource: water. Tune in via the live-stream or subscribe to Living Planet as podcast. Send your comments to features@dw-world.de.

World Water Week is underway in Stockholm. Experts are trying to find solutions for a worsening global water crisis that threatens the livelihood of thousands of people and animals.

The Swedish capital, Stockholm, is currently hosting two and a half-thousand experts from around the globe for the World Water Week conference. It’s an annual event co-ordinated by the Stockholm International Water Institute.

The conservation organisation WWF has increased its presence at the event this year. Living Planet talks to one of the delegation leaders David Tickner about the aims of World Water Week.

Interview: Irene Quaile

Did you know it takes 140 litres to produce one single cup of coffee? Tune in to hear more mind-boggling figures.

Water consumption is especially high in the western world. And it’s not just because we have our daily showers and switch on our washing machines regularly. Most of us will be surprised to find out that the largest share of water gets consumed through the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

WWF has compiled a gallery where we can check how many litres of water are needed to produce one hamburger, for instance. And some of them are mind-boggling figure Living Planet confronted consumers on the streets of Bonn with some of them.

Report: Fenna Wächter

The Expo Zaragoza tries to make people aware that especially in the industrialised world we need to reduce our consumption of the precious resource water as much as we can.

Creating awareness with consumers is crucial in combating the water crisis. An international exposition promoting water and sustainable development is underway in Spain. The last expo, in 2005, held in the Japanese city of Aichi, also focused on the environment. Before that, here in Germany, Expo2000 in Hannover tried to inspire us with answers to the technological challenges of the future.

Not a lot has been heard about either of those Expos since, but this one in Zaragoza has promised not to be forgotten. It’s called The Water Tribunal and until the month of September, the Expo is committed to finding solutions to the world’s water problems.

Report: Danny Wood

Zero tillage is a method where fields are cultivated without turning over the soil. Experts hope that it will reduce water consumption, fuel costs and soil erosion.

According to WWF estimates most water – about 70 to 80 percent -- gets used – and wasted – in agriculture. One aspect you might not have thought about is ploughing. Today, most fields are ploughed. Farmers in temperate latitudes invented the plough to fight weeds.

But some experts say ploughing actually wastes water in dry areas through evaporation and leads to more soil erosion. And modern ploughing also uses up a lot of petrol. That’s why some agricultural researchers these days are advocating what’s known as „zero tillage“, meaning farming without turning over the fields.

But a better yield and less water consumption doesn’t mean the method’s a panacea.

Report: Gabor Paal/ Kateri Jochum