adminThere’s no denying the health benefits of almonds are extensive. They contain nutrients, which help the development of the human brain, they aid in regulating your cholesterol, maintain strong bones, and their oils can be essential for clear skin. These are just a few health benefits that almonds provide; they have even been labeled a colon cancer fighter!
Sure Almond milk with your coffee and almond butter on your toast is absolutely delicious, heck; eating plain almonds are just as good. However, is using 4 litres of water per nut worth all of the hype?
Currently, California is responsible for producing more than 80 per cent of the world’s supply of almonds. Last year, the board estimated the state would produce 840 million kilograms of almonds and at four litres of water per nut, well you can do the math. On a positive note, dairy is California’s number one agricultural product ranked by revenue. Then you add in walnuts and pistachios and these three tree nuts brought in more than $8.5 billion collectively in 2013. The question here still remains: can California sustain almond growth with the climate in its current condition?
It’s been three long years that California has seen droughts and it doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. The climate is arid and the soil continues to get more and more dry. The Westlands Water District, where many of these almond orchards are based, has pumped more than one-million acre feet of groundwater in the past two years (that’s more water than Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco combined use in a whole year) to produce these nuts. This is not only threatening the region’s water supply, but also causing the ground to sink as much as a foot per year in some places. The cherry on top is that 70% of these almonds are exported overseas ultimately taking that water with them.
Adam Keats, director of the California Water Law Project at the non-profit Center for Biological Diversity, says almonds should no longer be grown in desert regions of the state. Keats believes that almond orchards should be restricted to valleys that get enough rain all year around allowing them to flourish. This however, would mean that entire orchards would need to be dug up and moved.
“I think that there will be a time when California almonds and pistachios will be socially unacceptable in a lot of circles. A lot of people will shun those crops. I hope that happens.”
I agree with Keats statement as there is always up and coming fads, new fruits, or new nuts that are waiting to be the next miracle cure to all your woes. However, almonds aren’t California’s only water sucking crop. Did you know it takes about 1,850 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef? While almonds and pistachios may be the second-thirstiest crop in California, they pale in comparison to alfalfa, which sucks up billions of gallons of water a year. That’s right, alfalfa. The average person doesn’t even eat alfalfa, but you know who does? Cows. Relating back to the previous statement of how much water that takes.
So could you ever see yourself giving up almonds? How about your beloved almond butter? And well I guess there’s always… Soy milk.
– K
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