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2015: From steak to mangoes, here are some water-hogging foods - LA Times


Stashed in: Water!, Infographics, Agriculture, Internet of Things, Nuts!, Drought

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Gallons of Water, per Ounce of food

How are almonds and pistachios not in this infographic?

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-gleason-almond-farmer-20150326-story.html

From the L.A. Times op-ed: But looking at the societal value of producing food only by gallons of water used is silly, if not absurd. My fellow growers of other crops calculate that it takes about 168 gallons of water to produce a single watermelon. And 50 gallons for a cantaloupe. That head of broccoli that you feel good about serving to your child? Thirty-five gallons. A single ear of corn requires roughly 40 gallons.

According the infographic, the juiciest foods require the least water and the driest the most.  How is that?

Oh.  Trees vs. plants.

No. Wait.

I was going to say, watermelons, pistachios, almonds, etc.   Broccoli is a huge surprise. BTW, I was talking to my internet of things friend.  For trees, they can talk to them now to find out when they are thirsty.  They put small monitors on top that can measure the transpiration and optimally adjust the watering.  It saves millions of gallons while still producing the prefect agri product. 

Water monitors is a neat idea!

Geege, I'm with you. I'm confused. 

All I know is that consumers are not the biggest consumers of water even though we're all being told to cut consumption by 25%. 

It's ALWAYS the corporate/enterprise that consumes the most, but they have capital interests tied up with real economy that renders them relatively immune from these "prescribed practices."  This is starting to get really insightful/worrysome

The problem, I've heard, is that Gov. Brown's mandate/recommendations are actually SOFT because he doesn't want to upset Big Agro in California, thereby giving them a pass in order to gain their nominal support, even though many of them are NOT using best practice, higher-efficiency technology.

Therefore the political/ally value of the industry seems to be worth more than the LOSS of wasted water.

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