For some numbers:

One graph even has California’s animal feed water usage so large it actually goes off the chart at 15.2 million acre-feet of water (it is distorted to make it fit as it notes). For some comparison, the blue water usage of animal feed is larger than all of almonds water usage of ~2 million acre-feet of water

https://pacinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ca_ftprint_full_report3.pdf#page=25

EDIT:

If the image isn’t loading for you, here’s a direct link: https://i.imgur.com/EjVps9Z.png

EDIT 2:

Also worth noting is that per liter, dairy milk requires 628.2 L of freshwater vs almond milk requiring 371.46 L of freshwater. And if you use something like oat milk instead that gets you to 48.24 L

https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impact-milks

  • @vegivamp@feddit.nlEnglish
    13•2 years ago

    It undeniably does, but what would be interesting is a comparison of how much water is needed per liter of milk and various substitutes.

          • roboTRASH
            4•2 years ago

            Same and this is making me even happier to be drinking it.

          • 1nk
            3•2 years ago

            Love using oat milk for porridge. Double oat, so oaty.

        • Dick Justice
          2•2 years ago

          I’ve switched entirely to oat milk. I don’t understand how it’s so creamy.

        • @vegivamp@feddit.nl
          0•2 years ago

          Of all the non-dairy milks I’ve tried, oat is the most palatable to me. Still distinctly prefer cow, though. But then i grew up on the fresh stuff, not the watery crap from the supermarket.

          And to say that I’ve now switched almost entirely to half because the boy wants to diet. I flat out refuse to buy skim, though, that’s just coloured water.

          • Venutian Spring
            3•2 years ago

            I make my own oat milk. Costs literal cents to make and you can modify it for you tastes

      • dandb
        6•2 years ago

        I suppose I should have guessed how much more resource-intensive dairy milk is just because it involves animals, but holy crap.

      • chaogomu
        2•2 years ago

        I still like Soy milk the best. It’s tried and true, and uses less water than Oat. Sadly, the emissions are a bit higher…

        But a benefit is that in making soy milk, you have the setup to make tofu, which is lovely as well.