Growing almonds is water intensive, and is just as bad as livestock farming. They also harm the bees.
The graph from UC Davis shows that the amount of water needed to grow almonds in California is so low that it was combined with all pistachio farming as well. It was still far lower than the two leading categories (alfalfa and pasture) which are specifically for livestock.
The almonds grown in California account for 82% of the world’s almond production and is still low. Whereas the water used for the livestock feed is not even close to the global supply of animal products that alfalfa/pasture will ultimately create.
Rising demand of almonds has driven rapid intensification in specific places, like California, which could be addressed with proper regulation. It has nothing to do with what almonds need to grow. Traditional almond production in Southern Europe uses no irrigation at all. It is also perhaps worth noting that the bees that die in California are not wild, but raised like livestock by farmers to help pollinate the almond trees. [The Guardian]
Topic: FAQ – Environment
