Today, water scarcity is so prevalent that many of our desired economic, social, and environmental goals are out of reach. If we continue to treat water as a disposable, consumable resource, a global crisis is imminent. But if we seize the circular economy opportunity – and leverage technology that already exists to drive better water management and stewardship – we can not only protect our single most important shared resource, we can ensure that businesses can grow to meet the increasing demands of the world for years to come.

It might not be obvious to customers, but water is a key ingredient in making Intel's semiconductor chips. 

And so the company has rolled out programs to conserve this natural resource. 

"We decided to look at our four walls and at the broader impacts of what we're doing," said Todd Brady, director of global public affairs and sustainability at Intel. Its newest goal is to restore 100 percent of the water it uses by 2025 back to the local communities where the company operates.