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It is considered a superfood and is increasingly fashionable, but its cultivation is assuming an environmental drama that translates into deforestation and destruction of unique ecosystems, rich in biodiversity.
In this post we are going to give a brief review of environmental impact which involves the consumption of avocados, an issue that has been causing a queue for years, causing a progressive worsening of the situation, as the damage accumulates.
Regardless of whether there are organic crops of avocado That they are also sustainable, because there are undoubtedly there, the environmental drama is concentrated precisely where these favorable conditions do not exist. They are extensive areas that do not stop growing, especially in Mexico.
Mexico main world producer
Specifically, in some mexican regions, where the loss of forest mass is due to this and other reasons, such as cattle ranching, urban growth, illegal logging and other crops.
The Purépecha Plateau, Michoacán, in the west of the country, is a particularly affected region, since 75 percent of the national production is cultivated there. Given that Mexico is the main producer of avocados, this percentage represents 65 percent of consumption worldwide.
The negative consequences They range from putting species on the ropes (in this region there are different species of pines on the verge of extinction) to their effective disappearance, in addition to causing other problems derived from the imbalance of the ecosystem.
Not surprisingly, deforestation devastates forests in a massive way, and although not all of it is caused intentionally, natural factors are not its main threat. Whatever the reason, deforestation causes tremendous damage to the quality of soils, causing an alarming imbalance that is difficult to recover without reforestation.
Why think twice before eating avocados
The noted consequences are reason enough to think twice about eating avocados. Or, more accurately, when choosing the avocados that we buy or to decide if we really want to acquire them at such a high price.
In the last section of the post we give some ideas for find feasible alternatives to the purchase of avocados that have a dramatic history of environmental destruction behind them. Taking into account, on the other hand, that this deterioration of the ecosystem is also suffered by humans, and not only because it ends up with enclaves of great global ecological value, but also because of what this affects nearby populations.
In addition to the intensive use of the water necessary to maintain this crop (each kilo requires almost 250 liters of water), depriving the region of such a necessary resource, the pesticides, fertilizers and other chemical products used in these macro-crops pollute the waters and the same soil, as well as the ecosystem as a whole.
A problem that is difficult to solve due to the criminal nature that it has taken on in the Michoacán area. There, the farmers operate clandestinely, often as part of the mafias, and as is easy to guess, their way of acting is synonymous with fires that cause deforestation whose objective is to achieve new land for cultivation.
For Mexican farmers, cutting pine trees to grow avocado trees is a business. "Sooner or later, they will end up cutting down all the pines," the conservation organizations denounce. A problem that in New Zealand, another major world producer, takes the form of constant theft of fruit in the fields or also in stores. The country suffered a wave of night robberies in large-scale fields in 2016.
Some sustainable alternatives
It is an issue that, beyond its particularities, helps us to raise awareness about the environmental problems that can originate from consumer products that we are not usually aware of.
The case of palm oil is similar to this one, and the problem has also been dragging on for years, perhaps longer than in the case of avocado, although the problem is similar. In this case, the search for a way to produce sustainable palm oil has begun, and although there is still a long way to go, some large multinationals are showing a positive attitude.
But what can we do? Is it in our power to change things? While recognizing that the laws and the industrial sector have practically all the responsibility, as the last link in the chain, also in both cases the attitude of the consumer is key to begin to solve this type of situation.
Although it is difficult to boycott these types of products, especially because it is difficult to find affordable alternatives, it does not mean that you should give it up.
Directly or indirectly, there are very different ways to act. Among other possibilities, we can choose other fruits and organic vegetables at home, bought in local markets or conventional stores, and even by the same avocados from sustainable crops. Ideally, also coming from local commerce or, at least, from sustainable agriculture.
Or, why not, maybe we dare to plant our own tree to be able to have avocados bio grown by ourselves. It would be an interesting way to add the benefits of organic diets with those of sustainable nutrition.
Be that as it may, being aware of this problem is the first step to later trying to inform us about the origin of the avocados that we want to buy. We may not be able to make as green decisions as we want, as circumstances do not always allow it, but the mere fact of being aware And taking action as much as possible already makes a big difference.
If you want to read more articles similar to Sustainable nutrition: the environmental impact of eating avocadosWe recommend that you enter our Healthy Eating category.
