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Deforestation & Chemical Runoff

https://daily.jstor.org/the-illustrious-history-of-the-avocado/
Avocados have become known as a super food. They have been previously known for being the main ingredient in guacamole, but are also showing up more prevalently in everything from salads, to sandwiches and even smoothies. The health benefits seem to be endless. In one serving, there are twenty vitamins and minerals; Potassium (blood pressure), lutein (eyes), folate ( cell repair during pregnancy), Vitamin B, C and E are just a few of its benefits. While it is high in fat, it is good fat that helps lower cholesterol. The recipes that help you coordinate avocados into your diet are endless. This website alone provides you with fifty different recipes that use avocado as an ingredient. The fruit itself has become an icon. You can find avocados depicted as toys, engagement ring boxes, pins, stickers, jewelry, articles of clothing, etc.. All of these trends have helped expand the avocado industry. Avocado production is increasing to meet this high demand that society has created.

So where are all of these avocados coming from?

            Mexico has become the largest producer of avocados making up 45% of the global avocado market. Avocados typically grow in a warm, dry environment. While avocados originated in Mexico, it is still the ideal place for orchards as it is an area of abundant sunshine with timely rainfall along with the fact of different laws and regulations environmentally and for labor. Mexico's environment is perfect for growing avocados year round as well. While the U.S. is the number one importer of Mexican avocados, Canada and Japan follow as well. It is also important to remember that avocados are not only exported in its raw form, but also as pulp, paste and in premade guacamole. Along with quality control that is required, eliminating a large amount of avocados from ever making it to market. One of the first standards that can keep an avocado from making it to your local grocery store is if it has touched the ground. While we can see the amount of avocados that are being exported and to where they are being sent, the number that are actually being grown is uncharted.

So what is it that could be so bad about the avocado industry? 

         To keep up with the demand for avocados, deforestation is becoming more prevalent. Yearly, 50,000 acres of forest are being cleared for agricultural purposes in Mexico. Almost half of this land is for avocado orchards. Before the Avocado Boom, this clearing was at a much lower rate of only 1,700 acres a year. To makes sense of the numbers, 8/10 exported avocados are grown in Michoacán, Mexico. The increase in popularity of the fruit has pushed growers to expand their production. With the demand set for avocados, growers are doing whatever they can to reap the economic benefits, even if it means destroying lush forests in the process. 

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        After deforestation and the trees have been planted in bountiful amounts, care for the orchards continues the environmental destruction. A mature avocado orchard requires double the amount of water than the previous lush forest that had previously inhabited the land. The excess water needed to take care of the orchards has resulted in less water in nearby streams and is draining the overall water supply for the area. Thus effecting other trees and animals. Monarch butterflies are expected to take a direct hit as deforestation continues. Michoacán, Mexico, the largest exporter of avocados, is a known area for this species of butterflies to populate in winters. 

     The chemicals used in mountain orchards are creating a chemical runoff into ground water, streams, rivers and lakes. The chemicals used in the growing processes for avocados are being linked to illnesses for the people not only working in the fields harvesting, but also anyone living around the fields or drinking from the water supply in affected areas. The Avocado Fever that many have described comes with symptoms of sneezing, stomach problems along with respiration issues. There are now concerns for family planning and kidneys. The avocado industry is not only impacting forests and animals, but also the population. 

Awareness of the negative impacts of this industry have become more well spread; 

So what is being done?

Have we reached peak avocado? 

               Growers are not convinced and will continue to strive for maximum output. 

So what can be done to help?

avocadosfrommexico.com

       There is no easily solution for the multitude of problems that have been linked to the Avocado Boom and Mexico's eagerness to fulfill it. The area of Michoacán relies on selling avocados in mass quantities. The only other viable income had previously been in dealings with synthetic drugs. The avocado industry provides a lot of jobs and income. Demolishing drugs has been ranked as a higher issue in comparison to protecting the environment. Boycotting buying avocados from this area would result in the population going back to their previous means of survival through gangs and violence. It would create a less than pleasant means of a lifestyle. Avocados have become the new currency rather than drugs. 


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        Growing avocados is not illegal, but cutting down forests is. This is the main focus of those who are concerned about the impacts of the Avocado Boom. To ensure that consumers are buying avocados from orchards that are not harming the environment, sticker labels have been made. This is now being taken further by labeling avocados with lasers as it is even more environmentally friendly and keeps the stickers from falling off or being misused. 

https://earlymoments.com
      Globally, at the Paris Climate talks, two well known Europe companies pledged to source their raw material from areas that can prove they are slashing the rate of deforestation. The program is known as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+). It was included in the Paris Agreement and aims to slow deforestation by tapping carbon finance to promote sustainable agriculture. While essentially it is paying producers to not chop down trees, the program is doing more to help those involved by being actively involved to help farmers become more efficient in managing their land. While it cannot protect against consumer demand, it is a movement to aid in decreasing deforestation. Mexico did explicitly state an interest in using this program in their climate action plan. A further solution is a push to allow only legally and sustainably sourced products to make it to market.

There are still leaps and bounds to be made to ensure that avocados are an environmentally friendly product.

        While avocados are exported in mass quantities from Mexico, they are also grown in the U.S. This allows consumers to choose where they are purchasing avocados from and as a result of this, who they are supporting financially. U.S. avocados are often grown in California and Florida. There was a push for consumers to purchase American grown avocados through a marketing campaign as an effort to reduce deforestation even though they are more expensive. The campaign was titled, California by Nature. The goal was to make awareness for current avocado consumers and gear it towards younger millennials to push them to support locally grown avocados.

 This comes down to the consumer. Do they want to support this cause of reducing deforestation or do they want to save money? 

https://www.andnowuknow.com/whats-store/california-avocado-commission-unveils-new-artistic-marketing-campaign/laura-hillen/49278 

        The current California wildfire epidemic is causing problems for American avocado orchards. Orchards in California have burned down and those that have not are being affected by the hot, dry, smokey winds. These winds have and will continue to knock down avocados from the producing trees and will not allow them to be suitable for market once they have touched the ground. The lack of rain and focusing water resources for the wildfires have resulted in less water available for orchards. Avocados require vast amounts of water to grow and produce. The impacts of the wildfire will continue with the ash making the fruit more susceptible to pests. With this, Mexican avocados are going to be more prevalent than ever in the average American grocery store. 

With the option of buying locally diminished at this point, there are still other options that can be implemented to help the cause.

Holy Guacamole, the Earth needs your help!

https://emojipedia.org

  • Reduce: 
    • cut back on how often you are including avocados in your diet
    • Substitute half of the avocado in guacamole with mango to help cut back on consumption
    • Don't waste. Ensure that what you are purchasing is being consumed and not tossed out. Avocados have a short time frame of when they are ripe. 
    • When using only half of an avocado, keep the half that has the pit in it for later as it helps it from spoiling as fast. 






While avocados are proving to be an excellent, healthy food choice in moderation, consequentially they are wreaking havoc on the environment. 

Resources:

https://www.andnowuknow.com/whats-store/california-avocado-commission-unveils-new-artistic-marketing-campaign/laura-hillen/49278

 https://avocadosfrommexico.com

 https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40327894

http://blog.jumpinshirt.com/eat-more-salsa-says-the-avocado-funny-food-t-shirt-8/

https://www.brit.co/avocado-substitutions/

https://earlymoments.com/seuss/list-of-dr-seuss-books1/the-lorax-environmental-tips/

http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/articles/taking-the-deforestation-out-of-avocados/

https://emojipedia.org/google/android-7.0/avocado/

 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/why-you-should-stop-eating-avocados-immediately-mexico-environmental-damage-chemicals-a7397001.html

https://www.kaylaitsines.com/blogs/lifestyle/what-to-use-instead-of-avocado

 https://phys.org/news/2016-11-forests-locals-mexico-avocado-boom.html#jCp

https://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/Healthy-Avocado-Alternatives-44011413

 https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/recipes-to-make-with-avocado/view-all/

 https://www.thestate.com/news/nation-world/world/article111724517.html

 https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/all-about-avocados


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