80% of the world's almonds are produced in California's Central Valley, which is 323,700 hectares or over 3 square miles of monoculture.
25% of 1 million honey bees die during 1 year's season of almond growing. No natural colonies of honey bees exist in the valley. Large numbers of bees are shipped to the area to pollinate the almond trees, after gorging on pure sugar provided by the farmers. The bees are exposed to many chemicals: fertiliser and insecticide. Then they die.
Wild salmon are being killed because almond trees need heavily irrigated land in the drought-ridden valley. Natural rivers are diverted. Surrounding land is being destroyed through drought.
1 almond needs 1.1 gallons or over 4 litres of water to grow.
Lay Off the Almond Milk, You Ignorant Hipsters.
Chalk Circle - N.I.M.B.Y. - 1988
