Are Avocados Bad For The Environment?

After years of debate, avocados are still a topic of controversy. While some people praise them as being a miracle superfood, others use them as an example as to why millennials can’t afford a house.

Both these statements are exaggerated, but what is true is that one of the nation’s favourite toast toppings isn’t as sustainable as you might think.

Although avocados are still far better for the environment than meat, their popularity in the last ten years has led to mass production, which is putting a strain on the environment.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the environmental impact of avocados, which countries export and import them the most, and what the greener alternatives are.

How bad are avocados for the environment?

Avocados – or at least the large-scale production of avocados – have a relatively high carbon footprint.

Just two avocados, weighing around 480 grams (g), have a carbon footprint of around 850g of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), according to Carbon Footprint Ltd. That’s 425g of CO2e per avocado.