Since her departure from her treasured roots in Shorewood, Amelia Vorpahl has traveled the world and returned to the States to become a valuable part of a noble ecological cause. Vorpahl now manages communications

The doors may be closed for the season, but the ovens at Amaranth Bakery & Cafe certainly won’t be growing cold this summer. Owners Stephanie Shipley and David Boucher are selling a large selection of their baked goods at two local farmers’ markets: Fondy Farmers’ Market and the Vliet Street Community Green Market at the Washington Park Senior Center.

People look at Lake Michigan and it looks like an ocean,” said Pat Henderson, deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “And they wonder why they should conserve water.” But Henderson said that concerns about the availability of Great Lakes water are real. He noted that the Great Lakes account for 20% of the world’s fresh water—70% exists in the polar ice cap—but climate change, industry, rising population levels and a lack of awareness are putting pressure on this critical natural resource.

How much water do you use every day? In addition to the water you consume in the most obvious ways—showering, watering your lawn or vacationing at water parks—water also appears in everyday consumer goods and food. According to data collected by H2O Conserve, here’s how much water...