February 16 • Cultural Insight
National Almond Day
The thirsty nut. Almonds are a nutritional powerhouse, but they come with a hydration scandal. This lesson explores the ethics of almond milk and the environmental cost of growing water-intensive crops in drought-prone areas like California.
Speaking Discussion
- Is almond milk a healthy alternative or just a successful marketing campaign for nut water?
- Should we ban water-Intensive crops in areas that are suffering from drought?
- Why is veganism sometimes criticised for its own environmental impact (like water use)?
- Does the health benefit of a food justify its environmental cost?
- If you had to survive on a desert island with only one type of nut, which one would you choose for survival?
Activity 1: The Environmental Auditor
The Task: Calculate the water footprint of your breakfast. If your coffee used 100 litres of water, how many almonds could you have grown instead? Is that a fair trade?
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate
Is personal health more important than global resources?
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