Measuring our water footprint:

I think water usage is definitely something that can be improved in th developed world:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,644867,00.html

Calculate your water footprint by looking at the amount of water you use directly and then by looking at the amount of "virtual water" you use -- that is, how much water is used in the production of any goods you consume...

Mining for money: impact on the environment: interesting article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1203057/Britains-dirty-money-How-loose-change-pockets-costing-earth.html

My thoughts on this article in terms of the impact of mining copper for the Mints of the world are that we don't really need loose change anymore. The problem is that coin machines still exist in many places like parking lots but that can be phased out slowly and be replaced by parking machines that accepts cards.

The technology now is at such a point that we don't need loose change anymore. Buses will also need to adapt since loose change is used there and paying at small local markets. Society itself will have to change but it can be down slowly, one piece at a time.