The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2013 placed water scarcity among the top four global risks, in terms of likelihood and greatest impact – ranking ahead of issues such as food shortages, terrorism and climate change. And water scarcity is already constraining the growth plans of many companies that desire to expand in emerging markets.

Food waste is the single largest type of waste entering US landfills, according to EPA acting administrator Bob Perciasepe who says Americans throw away up to 40 percent of their food.