In honor of World Water Day yesterday I attended a book signing with Thomas Kostigen, author of The Green Blue Book. The even was held at the TOTO gallery here in Soho, where New York’s premiere building professionals braved the downpours to enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while meeting the author.

Me, Thomas, and my friend Lisa Pak

Thomas took questions from the audience on the state of water usage in the world today, and explained his concept of “virtual water” or, how much water it actually takes to produce various products. While Thomas admittedly didn’t invent the concept of virtual water; The Green Blue Book is the most comprehensive guide to virtual water ever written. He researched and figured out how much water it takes to make pretty much anything and everything in your life and then provided that information (3,000 gallons to make your blue jeans, for example), as well as ways to save: buy vintage.

In The Green Blue Book, you’ll find hundreds of simple tips for water savings in the home, garden, office, and when on the go that will help you make a difference without making big changes in your life.

Thomas Kostigen shows how to save water not just by turning off the tap, but through discovering “virtual water,” or the water embedded in the products we use every day. By making better decisions about which food, clothes, and household necessities to use, each of us can save thousands of gallons of water—and help avert the water crisis unfolding around the globe.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv9Gp1ProNg[/youtube]