Meghan & Harry: WE QUIT

MoonUnit75 wrote: »

Taking them one by one. Avocados have been dropped by progressive 'socially aware' restaurants and outlets because the impact of their popularity has caused terrible social, environmental and economic problems.

The stories:
Kate is given a gift of avocado when her child is born.
Meghan, supposedly into social and economic justice, serves avocados to her guests.

Totally different things. According to Buzzfeed, they are exactly the same scenarios. Kate does not present herself as an influencer in social justice issues and didn't buy the avocados in the headlines, Meghan does present herself as an example and did serve them to her guests.

I can't believe I have to explain these obvious, intrinsic differences. Buzzfeed are not known for their impartial and measured articles.

Where does it say Meghan bought them in her headline?
It just says she likes them. Nothing about buying them, serving them, or being given them.
She could eat them once a year for all we know. I'm sure if they had actual proof that she regularly consumes them, they'd have published it.

Regardless, do you think that liking avocados justifies being linked to an increase in the murder rate, droughts, and human rights abuses?
Do you think this is a reasonable assumption to make? Is it reasonable to blame one person for murder increases based on them making an offhand comment about liking avocados?

If you saw a friend eating one, would you assume they were intentionally trying to fuel human rights abuses?

SusieBlue wrote: »

Where does it say Meghan bought them in her headline?
It just says she likes them. Nothing about buying them, serving them, or being given them.
She could eat them once a year for all we know. I'm sure if they had actual proof that she regularly consumes them, they'd have published it.

Regardless, do you think that liking avocados justifies being linked to an increase in the murder rate, droughts, and human rights abuses?
Do you think this is a reasonable assumption to make? Is it reasonable to blame one person for murder increases based on them making an offhand comment about liking avocados?

If you saw a friend eating one, would you assume they were intentionally trying to fuel human rights abuses?

The original article said she served them to her guests.

In her recent cookbook she describes her "very favourite avocado dip that I now make at home".

So she's a big fan of avocados, which all good wokesters would no doubt call 'problematic'.

MoonUnit75 wrote: »

The original article said she served them to her guests.

In her recent cookbook she describes her "very favourite avocado dip that I now make at home".

So she's a big fan of avocados, which all good wokesters would no doubt call 'problematic'.

I'm not asking about "wokesters", I'm asking do you think its reasonable, justified and acceptable to link someone to an increase in the murder rate, droughts, and human rights abuses, because they like avocados?

SusieBlue wrote: »

I'm not asking about "wokesters", I'm asking do you think its reasonable, justified and acceptable to link someone to an increase in the murder rate, droughts, and human rights abuses, because they like avocados?

You're being overly dramatic. They said the avocados are the problem.

SusieBlue wrote: »

I think the tabloids are the ones being over dramatic here, not me, but I'll take your refusal to answer as admission that you also think its unreasonable.

You're just too stubborn to admit it.

It's true that avocados cause horrendous social and economic problems. It's true that Meghan serves them to guests and promotes them in her cookbook. It's true that she presents herself as being outspoken on social and environmental issues. So no, I don't think it's unreasonable to point out the dissonance here.

It's not that different to all the recent press stories about how people who take a line of cocaine on the weekend don't like to think how they are contributing to the massive social problems it is causing.

cnocbui wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, what is the problem with avocados? They are grown extensively in New Zealand and Australia, and I'm not aware of any problems.

"The short answer is that avocado farming is causing deforestation, destroying ecosystems, funding drug cartels, and contributing to climate change. In Michoacán, Mexico, the biggest avocado producing region in the world, farmers are illegally razing pine forests in order to plant lucrative avocado trees. The native pine trees make up an irreplaceable habitat to indigenous species, including the iconic monarch butterfly.

Astonishingly, it takes up to 1,000 liters of water to grow just 1 kg of avocados–roughly 3 avocados. (By contrast, 1 kg of broccoli only uses around 45 liters of water.) As the water-hogging avocado orchards replace the pines, they divert natural streams and water sources from local animal species. Even more trees are cut down to make crates to transport the avocados, further exacerbating water shortage and destroying carbon sinks.

In Michoacán, avocado exports bring in $109 million a year and have become a lucrative business for Mexico’s drug cartels such as Los Caballeros Templarios (The Knights Templar). When the farmers refuse to pay the gangs, their orchards and processing plants are burned down–or worse. The situation is such that the avocado, long called “green gold” by the locals, is now referred to as “blood guacamole.” Meanwhile, the chemicals and toxins from avocado orchards cause respiratory and stomach problems in local residents."

https://ethicalunicorn.com/2018/09/23/how-sustainable-ethical-is-eating-avocado/

cnocbui wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, what is the problem with avocados? They are grown extensively in New Zealand and Australia, and I'm not aware of any problems.

Avocado production has quite a high water usage footprint, which is problematic when a lot of them are grown in areas that are sometimes prone to drought.

Beyond that, there are issues with land use for intensive large scale single crop farming, and with shipping across the world, but this is common to most foods. Avocados have become a particular target for these issues because certain types of reactionary rags push the narrative that all millennials love avocados and all millennials are therefore hypocrites for daring to care about the environment (or in this case swap "millennial" with "Meghan")

Edit: worth commenting about the above post I hadn't seen that mentions drug cartels in Mexico profiting from them - this is true, but is also true for other crops that grow in similar regions, like coffee. And, much like coffee, avocados that are grown elsewhere with no such connections to organised crime are widely available.

Gotta love how the very thing the Brit Royalists loved about HARRY, bucking Royal protocol, doing his own thing, and generally being the 'cool' Royal, is the thing they hate him for now, and apparently completely out of character.

MoonUnit75 wrote: »

"The short answer is that avocado farming is causing deforestation, destroying ecosystems, funding drug cartels, and contributing to climate change. In Michoacán, Mexico, the biggest avocado producing region in the world, farmers are illegally razing pine forests in order to plant lucrative avocado trees. The native pine trees make up an irreplaceable habitat to indigenous species, including the iconic monarch butterfly.

Astonishingly, it takes up to 1,000 liters of water to grow just 1 kg of avocados–roughly 3 avocados. (By contrast, 1 kg of broccoli only uses around 45 liters of water.) As the water-hogging avocado orchards replace the pines, they divert natural streams and water sources from local animal species. Even more trees are cut down to make crates to transport the avocados, further exacerbating water shortage and destroying carbon sinks.

In Michoacán, avocado exports bring in $109 million a year and have become a lucrative business for Mexico’s drug cartels such as Los Caballeros Templarios (The Knights Templar). When the farmers refuse to pay the gangs, their orchards and processing plants are burned down–or worse. The situation is such that the avocado, long called “green gold” by the locals, is now referred to as “blood guacamole.” Meanwhile, the chemicals and toxins from avocado orchards cause respiratory and stomach problems in local residents."

https://ethicalunicorn.com/2018/09/23/how-sustainable-ethical-is-eating-avocado/

Yeah, I have already had a look. Absolutely typical nonsense beat up. All forms of food supply in third world countries that is done to supply consumers in first world countries causes major ecological problems. This is a truism that has been in effect since well into the last century. Deforestation of the Amazon by ranchers in Brazil to supply McDonalds - that's been going on for decades. Indonesia is clearing vast areas of jungle to cultivate palm oil, leading to dreadful loss of habitat for wildlife and air pollution that covers the whole of SE Asia. The Oceans are being raped of nearly every ounce of 'free' protein every country can possibly manage. The Albatross is facing extinction due to long-line fishing. I really could go on for hours.

Did you know Australia grows rice? As usual, they are very efficient at it, but, yeah, they grow rice, and have emptied the continents largest river system, the Murray-Darling, in order to pursue this idiotic enterprise.

There is no eco friendly agriculture on the planet. Either get over it or leave the planet.

Anyone who wants to wag a finger at Meghan for some avocados has to have no concept of conscience or hypocrisy, an IQ of 20 or 75% of their former brain matter rotted by tertiary syphilis, or more likely, all of the above.

I ate half an avocado last night, I'll probably eat the other half shortly. Anyone who disapproves, can go....

cnocbui wrote: »

Yeah, I have already had a look. Absolutely typical nonsense beat up. All forms of food supply in third world countries that is done to supply consumers in first world countries causes major ecological problems. This is a truism that has been in effect since well into the last century. Deforestation of the Amazon by ranchers in Brazil to supply McDonalds - that's been going on for decades. Indonesia is clearing vast areas of jungle to cultivate palm oil, leading to dreadful loss of habitat for wildlife and air pollution that covers the whole of SE Asia. The Oceans are being raped of nearly every ounce of 'free' protein every country can possibly manage. The Albatross is facing extinction due to long-line fishing. I really could go on for hours.

Did you know Australia grows rice? As usual, they are very efficient at it, but, yeah, they grow rice, and have emptied the continents largest river system, the Murray-Darling, in order to pursue this idiotic enterprise.

There is no eco friendly agriculture on the planet. Either get over it or leave the planet.

Anyone who wants to wag a finger at Meghan for some avocados has to have no concept of conscience or hypocrisy, an IQ of 20 or 75% of their former brain matter rotted by tertiary syphilis, or more likely, all of the above.

I ate half an avocado last night, I'll probably eat the other half shortly. Anyone who disapproves, can go....

It depends on whether you are comparing staples that are ubiquitous and in practically every shopping basket in one form or another and a trendy fruit that is a self-contained luxury item.

It’s extremely easy to avoid eating and promoting avocados altogether. You need to do a lot more homework and have a lot more commitment to avoid palm oil as the example above.

I always ask myself ‘what would Meghan do?’ before I make a purchase though. Anyone for avocado on toast?