I’ve heard ( 
fwiw) the same about plastic milk jugs. 
Yep, the whatchamahoochie that they add to make the plastic more, well, plastic, is also an endocrine disruptor. We seem to just love adding stuff like that to our world.
From what i understand the whole thing of almonds using way too much water was orchestrated by other industries/lobbyists to throw public opinion off their scent. Its a convenient scapegoat that is bolstered by the fact that it’s somewhat rooted in some kernel of truth but the bigger picture is that water management in California has been a disaster for a long time.
Key quote here:
According to the California Almond Board, “Almonds make up less than 13 percent of the state’s total irrigated farmland but use only 9 percent of the state’s ag water – less than their proportionate share.”
and
And what about the pot industry? One could argue that growing marijuana is irresponsible agriculture as the state’s food production is deliberately threatened by political appointees. “With marijuana now legal to grow and use, no one is addressing the vast amounts of water used in pot growth and production,” NBC reported in 2014. “The average marijuana plant needs about 6 gallons of water a day, depending on its size and whether it’s grown inside or outside, according to a local report that cited research
Holy shit! I don’t grow anything that requires that much water! Of course, i also don’t grow in a desert, so…
Maybe better to compare the water consumed by getting high versus getting drunk? 
And heck yeah, I am happy to eat soy (soymilk, edamame, tamari, shoyu, tofu, tempeh, fermented salted black [soy]beans, etc.) for just that reason. For my post-menopausal body, it’s a positive, not a negative. I admit I grew up eating all these things anyway, so eating them now is no hardship.
#NotAll
#AncientChineseFoodsAreSometimesGood
One way of differentiating the safer plastic milk jugs from the others is, is the material translucent? The translucent plastic milk jugs are HDPE, high-density polyethylene, which is closely related to wax. There are no plasticizers needed in HDPE, as the molecular weight determines the rigidity.
Oddly enough, some of the biggest producers of hash in Afghanistan and Morocco grow in semi-desert conditions.
I think that Cannabis production is probably one of the best usages of hydroponics, as it’s much more efficient for water usage.
Supposedly up to 10x less.
Made a great pasta today, if you have a a vegan replacement for anchovies, this is how it goes.
1 (or 2 if they’re small) broccoli
2 cloves of garlic
anchovies (pick your vegan alternative, you want salty umami flavors)
minced sun dried tomatoes
olive oil
pasta
Boil the water with salt like you would for pasta, and cook the (cut into florets) broccoli in it for 10 min.
After 5 or so minutes start the sauce.
Start a pan with the olive oil, garlic and anchovy substitute, until the garlic gets some colour.
Fish the broccoli out of the boiling water (after 10 it will be pretty soft), but keep the water to cook your pasta. Drop the broccoli pieces in the pan. Mush it up with your spoon, and add a spoonful of pasta water if it’s getting dry. When it’s a nice cream, add the sun dried tomatoes, chopped finely. When the pasta is almost cooked, pop it into the pan with the sauce, add a bit of pasta water to finish, and serve like that.
You can also add olives if you feel the need.
I add a bit of dried chili and pecorino cheese, but it’s almost gilding the lily.
If you can find this prepared seaweed, it would do a good job subbing in for anchovies. It does have yeast, but I don’t see any animal products.
Another option is capers.
Sounds yummy! This might end up on my menu this week, depending what’s good at the farmer’s market tomorrow.
Thanks for the ideas for anchovy substitutes, @DukeTrout and @anon67050589!
Wondering if Marmite might also be an option…
That kind of seaweed is common to Asian groceries. It’s typically a topping for rice. The salt content/concentration definItaly rivals anchovies.
Now you’ve given me the idea to use it for angel hair a l’olio. The anchovies are always dissolved in the hot oil anyway.
