How the avocado trend is damaging nature

In the last four years, the global production of avocados has been increased by 50 per cent. No wonder – there is no food blog which does not advertise the avocado as so called "superfood", they are rich in vitamin, potassium, magnesium, linoleic and omega-3 fatty acids. Avocado is without doubt a very healthy fruit, sadly it causes a strong environmental impact.

Growing two or three avocados, requires approximately 318 litres of water. To provide the avocados with the needed water, rivers, groundwater and wells are being drained dry by the large growers. In fact, in Chile, where rainfall is low, these excessive amounts of water for the avocado production leaves small farmers and local communities without water.

Furthermore, in Mexico, growing avocados causes loss of forest land of about 700 hectares every year. But the high demand of avocado is not only causing deforestation. To satisfy the export growth, farmers are using also very large amounts of pesticides and fertilisers that are poisoning major ecosystems. For example, due to the deforestation and pesticides the survival of the monarch butterfly is now at risk.

And lastly, we should not forget about the long transport every single avocado has to make, to arrive in Europe. This of course, automatically creates a lot CO2 emissions.

That doesn't mean we absolutely cannot eat avocados anymore, but at least we should reduce the consumption to a minimum. The nature and local communities in Mexico and Chile will be grateful!

Sources:

http://www.high50.com/health/three-reasons-not-to-eat-avocado http://www.lifegate.com/people/news/avocado-mexico-deforestation

https://www.danwatch.dk/en/undersogelse/avocados-and-stolen-water/

http://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/vegetables/how-to-grow-an-avocado-tree-guac-n-roll