re: Actor James Cromwell superglued himself to Starbucks counter over plant based milk cost

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More than 80% of the world’s almond crop is grown in California, which has been experiencing its worst drought on record. It takes 1.1 gallons (5 litres) of water to grow one almond, and thanks to the big profits they bring in, almond orchards continue to be planted (this isn’t to say cow’s milk, which takes about 100 litres of water to produce 100ml of milk, is more environmentally friendly – more that its production is not concentrated in one area of the globe).

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almond farmers drilling thousands of feet down into aquifiers to pump out water has resulted, in some areas, in subsidence of around 11 inches a year, which “threatens vital infrastructure like bridges, roads, and irrigation canals” and could trigger earthquakes. Furthermore, insatiable demand for almonds is harming honeybees, already an embattled species. Almond trees need to be pollinated but bringing in 1.6m hives to California every year, “into an area dripping with insecticides is a recipe for disaster” writes Philpott (up to 25% of the hives were damaged in 2014), including whole colonies killed off; this spring they fared better after guidelines were issued about pesticide-use during the trees’ blooming season). It’s enough – or should be – to make anyone spit out their almond milk latte in alarm.

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