Finally, the perfect picture. After taking fifty photos of the same avocado dish and choosing the best one, we edit the photo with layers of filters just to match our Instagram feed. We wouldn’t bother thinking about what happens behind the production of our food because it’s all going to end up in the same place anyway. The avocado has become such a huge part of mainstream media that it can be seen on everything from phone cases to tee-shirts; it’s almost an unhealthy obsession. No one would expect avocados to be so harmful to the environment.

According to The Daily Telegraph, California is our primary source for avocados in the USA. California is in a devastating drought, yet they are still one of the biggest agricultural producers. It takes roughly 70 gallons of water to grow one pound of avocados, and that’s more water than they can afford to give. To satisfy our cravings, we have to find another provider.

Mexico is the other place we turn to for avocados, especially during winter. If the drought is what’s stopping produce production in the USA., then surely Mexico is able to help. However, the problem only gets worse when one finds out that the Mexican produce industry  is run by a drug cartel where farmers must give up a percentage of their income, parts of their land, and pay an additional produce tax or risk being killed.  These tragic deaths over avocados is now termed “blood guacamole.” Since the avocado is a Mexican cash crop, they have cut down their forests to make room for the greens. It is severely affecting the environment, destroying the soil and many animal habitats. The government has tried to regulate the industry, but people have gotten sneaky and started to grow the avocado trees underneath taller trees, and there isn’t much that can be done. The high-demand of avocados has increased the cost of them, and anyone is willing to pay for a delicious picture–I mean fruit.