Trash Brings a New Diet Water Conservation in Cape Verde, Africa

Authors

Tanner Goff, Brigham Young University
Dr. Bruce Woolley, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Sub-Saharan African, Cape Verde, water deficit, water conservation

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan African countries the resource of most significance, we Americans take for granted: water. The African people know this and strive to minimize wasting such a precious resource. However, with little education on how to conserve water, waste is inevitable. The country of Cape Verde is no stranger to a huge water deficit and this water deficit has a direct effect on the diet of the people. Most of the country relies on beans and rice with no variety of vegetables in their diet. The typical Cape Verdeans diet is characterized by “repeated rice meals” and “as the water prices rise due to extreme lack, so do the demands to balance household expenses which reduces the ability to purchase nutritious foods” (Rodrigues 365). With a small amount of education on how to conserve and /or re-use water, the Cape Verdeans diet can be altered to include a variety of vegetables and offer better nutrition.

Recommended Citation

Goff, Tanner and Woolley, Dr. Bruce (2013) "Trash Brings a New Diet Water Conservation in Cape Verde, Africa," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1511.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1511