Good for You, Good for Earth
Over thirty percent of almonds grown in California each year are consumed in the United States, while the remaining almonds are shipped to over 90 countries to be enjoyed by people around the globe. Almonds not only pack a nutritional punch for humans, promising research on whole orchard recycling has suggested that these tiny but mighty nuts play a big role in climate-smart agriculture and support the health of our planet.
Whole orchard recycling is a process that farmers can use at the end of an orchard’s 25-year lifespan. It involves grinding whole almond trees into small chips, spreading them evenly over the ground, and then integrating them into the soil. A study from the University of California, Davis found that recycling trees onsite results in a climate-smart practice for California’s almond orchards. Their results found2 that whole orchard recycling can sequester 5 tons of carbon per hectare (equal to living car-free for a year3, increase water-use efficiency by 20 percent, and increase crop yields by 19 percent.
Almonds are grown in shells and protected by hulls. With the Almond Orchard 2025 Goal for zero waste in mind, the almond community is researching new ways to use almond coproducts. Traditionally hulls are used for livestock feed while the shells go to livestock bedding.
Ongoing research has already found some promising optimized uses for these materials. After undergoing a process known as torrefaction, essentially burning them in the absence of oxygen, almond shells can be used as an additive in post-consumer recycled plastics, increasing their strength and heat stability. Research on almond hulls is looking at ways to use them for sugar extraction, mushroom cultivation, and black soldier fly feed. The almond community is on a mission to ensure that almonds are not just good for your health, but also good for the earth! Learn more about the Almond Orchard 2025 goals here.
