TIME reports that tequila's popularity is bad for the environment

Brett T. | 5:00 PM on June 13, 2023

When you go about it, anything human beings do, or consume, or build is bad for the environment. In the environmentalist's mind, the earth would be in perfect climate balance with no humans, so the fewer humans, the better.

We were wondering what was next up after gas stoves, and according to TIME magazine, the newest danger to our fragile ecosystem is the growing popularity of tequila.

Tequila is about to become the U.S.'s most popular spirit.

That's bad for the environment https://t.co/HpOZ6w9sgt
— TIME (@TIME) June 13, 2023

Aryn Baker reports:

While that may be great for celebrating Mexican heritage on Cinco de Mayo, it’s not exactly a climate win. Tequila’s combination of versatility and flavor—as easy to mix as vodka in a cocktail, but at the premium end, better for sipping—comes with a higher environmental cost.
By Mexican law, tequila must be made from blue agave plants grown in one of five Mexican states. Mezcal adds a few more states and agave varietals to the mix, but the succulent plant’s limited growing range means that the Mexican spirits have to be trucked over long distances to get to their ultimate destinations. Tequila’s growing global popularity has also led to a loss in genetic diversity, as manufacturers turn to high-yielding monocrops that require increasing amounts of pesticides. Vodka, on the other hand, can be made anywhere, from a wide range of grains, sugar beets and potatoes.

It turns out the best way to save the agave plant and the long-nosed bat is to drink vodka instead of tequila, which has lower carbon emissions.