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There’s something fundamentally wrong with the fact that we are looking toward a future where we drink recycled toilet water, but refuse to curb almond growers in California. https://twitter.com/jacobsoboroff/status/1385404494356176896
To grow one almond requires 1.1 gallons of water, and to grow a pound takes 1,900 gal/ lb[1]. https://www.paesta.psu.edu/podcast/how-much-water-does-it-really-take-grow-almonds-paesta-podcast-series-episode-43
“Unlike other crops, almonds must be grown year-round […] a few months without water and the trees die”
“High price of water drives farmers to plant even more almond trees in order to turn a profit [creating a cycle that depletes] groundwater reserves” https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/09/05/almonds-california-healthy-hazardous/
“High price of water drives farmers to plant even more almond trees in order to turn a profit [creating a cycle that depletes] groundwater reserves” https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/09/05/almonds-california-healthy-hazardous/
I *highly* recommend @alexgibneyfilm’s Water & Power: A California Heist
It exposes the water barons, who profit off of the state's water supply & grow luxury crops (e.g. almonds) while nearby residents are forced to schedule their meals & showers, etc.
It exposes the water barons, who profit off of the state's water supply & grow luxury crops (e.g. almonds) while nearby residents are forced to schedule their meals & showers, etc.
Since we seem to have some staunch pro-almond growers in the house this evening, hear me out:What if...and I know this sounds crazy...but what if, the almonds got the recycled water, and humans got the good stuff?
Answer: Activities of daily living (e.g. cooking, cleaning) is only 10% of water use in a typical year statewide
So, if Californians refuse to drink
water, irresponsible growers would have to spend LOTS of $ to purify enough water for their crops.
https://www.ppic.org/publication/water-use-in-california/
So, if Californians refuse to drink
water, irresponsible growers would have to spend LOTS of $ to purify enough water for their crops.https://www.ppic.org/publication/water-use-in-california/
So, while we can argue about alfalfa sprouts and other agricultural products, that's just a distraction from the fact that we taxpayers are literally being asked to drink water while *multi-billionaires* choose to grow crops that force us to assume more risk and cost.
water while *multi-billionaires* choose to grow crops that force us to assume more risk and cost.
