Grapefruits are the cousin of the citrus family, known for their semi-sweet, bitter taste. They are a breakfast staple, with lots of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A to help you start your day. Grapefruits are incredibly popular, with the grapefruit industry valued at $8 billion in 2018 and projected to grow to over $11 billion by 2027. But grapefruits can also have a significant impact on the environment. So we had to ask: What is the environmental impact of grapefruits?

Grapefruits have a moderately negative environmental impact. This is mainly due to their use of plastic and styrofoam packaging, monoculture farming methods, and nitrogen fertilizer usage. Their environmental impact is average compared to other fruits. 

In this article, we will examine the environmental impact of grapefruits from several different angles. We will go through the life-cycle of grapefruits, detailing their impact on the environment from growth to distribution to your plate to waste management. We will then compare the environmental impact of grapefruits to that of other fruits. And, finally, we’ll share some tips with you on how you can reduce your own environmental impact and offset your own carbon emissions – both for your personal life and grapefruit-related.

Here’s How We Assessed the Environmental Impact of Grapefruits

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the ways we measure the potential environmental effects of our actions, like the consumption of grapefruits. It is a holistic assessment based on the environmental changes associated with our consumption. Those are changes in our environment that can have adverse effects on the air, land, water, fish, and wildlife or the inhabitants of the ecosystem.

“Environmental Impact: the effect that the activities of people and businesses have on the environment”

Cambridge Dictionary

Basically, all goods and services you buy – including grapefruits – leave an impact on our environment. When it comes to food in general, and grapefruits in specific, the following are key factors:

• Land requirements: Large parts of the world that were once covered by forests and wildlands are now used for agriculture. 10 million hectares of forest are destroyed annually and 50% of the world’s habitable land is now used for agriculture. This loss of natural habitat has been the main driver for reducing the world’s biodiversity. 
• Water footprint: 70% of global freshwater is now used for agricultural purposes. By assessing the water footprint of a particular food, we can determine how our limited freshwater resources are being consumed and polluted.
• Pesticide and fertilizer usage: Pesticides and fertilizers provide a range of agricultural benefits. However, numerous studies link pesticides and fertilizers to serious effects on human health, along with disruptions to vital ecosystems and the spread of aquatic dead zones.
• Carbon footprint: The carbon footprint is one of the ways we measure the effects of our human-induced global climate change. Today, food production accounts for over a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Waste generation: Food and its packaging account for almost 45% of the materials landfilled in the US alone. And packaging sent to landfills, especially when made from plastics, does not degrade quickly or, in some cases, at all.

To understand the overall environmental impact of grapefruits, we must assess each of their key factors. This Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool originally developed to identify the environmental impacts of a project prior to decision-making and also helps us to evaluate the environmental impacts of grapefruits, from farm to table.

Here’s the Overall Environmental Impact of Grapefruits

The overall environmental impact of grapefruits is moderate. The main factors that contribute to their impact are monoculture farming, nitrogen fertilizers, and the use of plastic and styrofoam in packaging. 

Grapefruits have a lot of positive qualities when it comes to environmental impact. They sequester carbon well, have a very low carbon footprint, use very few pesticides, and don’t require too much irrigation. However, they still have many qualities that harm the environment. 

So, let’s have a look at the environmental impact of each key factor of grapefruits!

These are the overall summaries, but there is a lot more to the story. In the next few sections, we will dive deeper into each stage to illustrate to you all the important aspects of grapefruits’ environmental impact.

What Are the Land Requirements for Grapefruits

Grapefruits’ land requirements are moderate. However, their use of monoculture agriculture and participation in desertification and deforestation mean that their land impact on the environment is very negative. 

Growing grapefruits has a lot of variables that contribute to their environmental impact. The amount of land they use, the way in which they grow, and the amount of time they take to grow will all contribute to their environmental impact.

How do the land requirements of grapefruits impact their environmental footprint?

• What is the land usage of grapefruits: Grapefruits yield around 40–50 tons per hectare. This is a very good yield compared to other fruits. While some, like bananas, can yield up to 100 tons per hectare, many other fruits, like watermelons only yield around 2–3 tons per hectare. Therefore, grapefruits’ land yield does not contribute significantly to their environmental impact. 
• Where and how are grapefruits grown: Most grapefruits are grown in the US on trees in orchards. Citrus trees are known to store carbon effectively. This means that they can capture carbon from the air and sequester it in the ground. This lowers their carbon footprint and thus their environmental impact. 
• Are grapefruits grown in monocultures or polycultures: Grapefruits grow in monocultures primarily. Citrus fruits are known to be some of the biggest monoculture crops. Monocultures are very harmful to the environment and so this is a major contributor to their environmental impact. 
• How does the growing of grapefruits affect soil fertility and erosion: Citrus farms have been identified as a major driver of soil erosion. Excess soil erosion and depletion of nutrients can lead to a phenomenon known as desertification. Desertification renders vast swaths of land completely uninhabitable and unfarmable, essentially turning them into deserts.
• How does the grapefruits industry affect the loss of habitable land: Grapefruits have been linked with deforestation efforts around the world, particularly in Brazil. Deforestation is not just bad for the specific wildlife and people who live there, but can cause chain reactions with global consequences. Therefore, grapefruits’ use of deforested land is a major contributor to their environmental impact. 
• How does the grapefruits industry affect wildlife and biodiversity: The fact that grapefruits are grown in monocultures is very harmful to wildlife and biodiversity. The shorter pollination times within monoculture farms mean that pollinators like bees and butterflies are malnourished throughout the year. As a result, the grapefruit industry can have a very negative impact on wildlife and biodiversity. 

In short, grapefruits use a lot of farming practices that are very harmful to lands and wildlife. Monoculture farming and participation in deforestation practices are some of the most damaging. 

What Is the Water Footprint of Grapefruits

Grapefruits have a moderately high water requirement of 60 inches of water per year. Because of where they grow, they require a small amount of irrigation. They also use significant plastic packaging, which impacts water sources negatively. 

Water usage is one of the most important factors in the environmental impact of a fruit. The amount of water used, as well as the way they affect the water sources around them, are all major contributing factors. Here, we will look at these different angles to grapefruits’ water impact.

How does the water footprint of grapefruits impact their environmental footprint?

• What is the overall water usage of grapefruits: Citrus trees generally need about 60 inches of water per year on average. But, grapefruits are likely to need up to 70 inches per year. This is a fairly high water requirement amongst fruits. For example, cherries only need around 35 inches of water per year. However, there are some fruits, such as watermelons, which need around 100 inches of water per year. Therefore, grapefruits have a moderately high water footprint. 
• What is the green water footprint of grapefruits: The green water footprint is the amount of water from precipitation stored in the soil and used by plants for growth. Most grapefruits consumed in the US are grown in Florida, which gets around 54 inches of rain per year. This means that the vast majority of water in the area is going towards grapefruit farming and so grapefruits’ green water footprint is high. 
• What is the blue water footprint of grapefruits: The blue water footprint is the amount of water sourced from surface (such as rivers or lakes) or groundwater resources. Since Florida does not get quite enough rainfall to support grapefruits’ water needs, grapefruits require a small amount of irrigation. Therefore, grapefruits’ blue water footprint is moderate. 
• What is the gray water footprint of grapefruits: The gray water footprint is the amount of freshwater required to clean up water pollution to meet certain quality standards. Essentially, it’s the amount of water needed to make polluted water clean enough to be safe and healthy for humans and the environment. Grapefruits and other citrus use low amounts of pesticides. Therefore, only a small amount of water will be needed to clean up their pesticide residues. As a result, their gray water footprint is fairly low. 
• How does the grapefruits industry affect freshwater and ocean pollution: Irrigation has a significant impact on freshwater sources. For one, it can cause imbalances in the groundwater levels, as well as salinization in the water. Finally, grapefruits also have been known to use plastic and styrofoam in their packaging, which can cause ocean pollution.

In short, grapefruits have a significant water footprint because of their use of irrigation and plastic and styrofoam packaging. 

What Is the Agrochemical Usage for Grapefruits

The agrochemical usage for grapefruits is moderate. This is because while their pesticide use is low, they are fertilized with nitrogen fertilizer which can damage local ecosystems. 

Pesticides and fertilizers are agrochemicals that can have a significant impact on the environment. They both require resources to create as well as have effects on the life around them. Here, we will look at how grapefruits’ pesticide and fertilizer rates affect their environmental impact.

How does the agrochemical usage of grapefruits impact their environmental footprint?

• What is the pesticide usage of grapefruits: Grapefruits use a very small amount of pesticides. This means that they avoid many of the negative environmental impacts that pesticides can cause. 
• What is the fertilizer usage of grapefruits: Grapefruits are primarily fertilized using nitrogen. Nitrogen is one of the worst fertilizers for the environment and so this contributes significantly negatively to grapefruits’ environmental impact. 
• Are there any known issues connected to the agrochemical usage for grapefruits: Nitrogen fertilizers in particular cause a whole slew of problems for water, soil, and air. They cause the emission of nitrous oxide, which is actually 300 times stronger than carbon. They are also known to cause invasive algae growth, which is very damaging to ecosystems. As a result, nitrogen fertilizer skyrockets grapefruits’ environmental impact. 

In short, grapefruits have a moderate agrochemical impact. On the one hand, their pesticide use is low. But on the other hand, they use nitrogen, one of the most harmful fertilizers. 

What Is the Carbon Footprint of Grapefruits

Grapefruits have a low carbon footprint of 0.08kg (0.18lb) of CO₂e per pound of grapefruit. This is mainly caused by mechanization during the harvesting and processing stages, the use of styrofoam and plastic packaging, and low composting rates.

Carbon footprint is one aspect of the overall environmental impact of a fruit. It essentially measures how much carbon or other greenhouse gasses the production of grapefruit emits into the atmosphere. Emissions from product manufacturing, irrigation, transportation fuel, and landfills all add up to create the overall carbon footprint of a fruit. Let’s see how the carbon footprint of grapefruits breaks down and contributes to their environmental impact.

How does the carbon footprint of grapefruits impact their environmental footprint?

• What is the overall carbon footprint of grapefruits: The overall carbon footprint of grapefruits is 0.08kg (0.18lb) of CO₂e per pound of grapefruit. This means that for every pound of grapefruits produced, 0.08kg of carbon is released into the atmosphere. This is a very low carbon footprint compared to other fruits. 
• What are the main contributors to the carbon footprint of grapefruits: The main factors contributing to grapefruits’ carbon footprint are their mechanical harvesting and processing, the use of plastic and styrofoam packaging, and their low composting rates. 
• Which life-cycle stage of grapefruits has the highest carbon footprint: The stage that contributes the most to grapefruits’ carbon footprint is harvesting, processing, and packaging grapefruits. This is mainly because of their mechanical harvesting process and their plastic and styrofoam packaging.

In short, grapefruits have one of the lowest carbon footprints among fruits. While they do have some emission-heavy components, they are overall one of the most carbon-conscious fruits you can buy.

What Is the Waste Generation of Grapefruits

Grapefruits’ waste generation is very high. This is mainly because they use hard-to-recycle materials like plastic and styrofoam in their packaging. 

When fruit waste, either packaging or organic materials, is disposed of, it can have a major impact on the environment. Whether it’s damaging wildlife, getting into oceans, emitting methane, or dissolving into microplastics that contaminate groundwater, all these materials have their part to play. In this section, we will look at how grapefruits’ waste affects the environment.

How does the waste generation of grapefruits impact their environmental footprint?

• What is the packaging of grapefruits: Grapefruits use mainly plastic and styrofoam in their packaging. Both of these materials have serious environmental consequences in their manufacturing process. Styrofoam’s impact mainly comes from toxic chemicals leaked during their production. Plastic also has devastating impacts, creating air and water pollution which is harmful to people and wildlife. 
• How is the packaging of grapefruits disposed of: Both plastic and styrofoam have very low recycling rates, at 9% and 1%, respectively. This means that the majority of grapefruit packaging is going to end up in landfills. Landfills have very devastating effects on the environment, such as high greenhouse gas emissions, chemical runoff, and land clearing. For this reason, the disposal of grapefruit packaging has a very negative environmental impact. 
• How are grapefruits disposed of: Grapefruits have peels that are not generally eaten. They can technically be composted, but unfortunately, only 4% of food waste is actually composted. Even worse, when food waste is in landfills, it releases a greenhouse gas called methane. Because of this low recycling rate, grapefruit waste has a significant impact on the environment. 

In short, grapefruits’ use of plastic and styrofoam packaging, as well as their low composting rates, means that their waste generation has a very negative impact on the environment. 

What Have Been Historical Environmental Issues Connected to the Grapefruits Industry

The grapefruit industry has historically had a very negative environmental impact. This is mainly caused by their monoculture farming, nitrogen fertilizer usage, and land consumption. 

All fruits have had a complex road toward global distribution. They originate in one part of the world and often travel far to end up in your local supermarket. From farm to table, some of our favorite fruits have racked up some serious environmental damage along the way. Whether it’s deforestation to meet demand, water pollution, or disruption of wildlife. Let’s see how grapefruits have fared throughout history. 

What have been the key environmental issues of the grapefruits industry?

• How much land has been lost because of grapefruit production: Citrus has historically been one of the biggest fruit markets, especially in the US. In Florida alone, it accounts for over 150,000 hectares of farmland. Florida’s wetlands have been negatively affected by agricultural farming in the region, partially due to grapefruit farming. 
• Which wildlife species have been negatively impacted or displaced because of grapefruit production: Wildlife is very negatively affected by monocultures. Grapefruits’ use of monoculture farming has affected the biodiversity of many regions over the years, especially in Florida. 
• Have water sources and soil been contaminated because of grapefruits production: Nitrogen fertilizer has had a very devastating effect on waterways. It has been damaging to significant amounts of soil, groundwater, and freshwater. The fact that grapefruit uses this fertilizer means that it has greatly impacted these ecosystems over the years. 

In short, grapefruits’ use of land clearance, monoculture farming, and nitrogen fertilizer have all contributed to their negative environmental impact. 

What Is the Overall Environmental Impact of Food and Agriculture

Food production in general has a high environmental impact. Everything from the amount of land used to the energy involved in irrigation to its effect on plant and animal biodiversity can be a factor in this. In the chart below, you can see how food production is one of the biggest influences on these areas of the environment. 

Agriculture alone accounts for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, while using half of the world’s habitable land and 70% of the global freshwater withdrawals. Agriculture also causes 78% of the global ocean and freshwater pollution. 

Livestock accounts for the vast majority of non-human mammal and bird biomass. Mammal livestock outweighs wild mammals by a factor of 15-to-1, and poultry livestock outweighs wild birds by a factor of more than 3-to-1.

These statistics highlight the need for sustainable and responsible practices in food production to reduce its impact on the environment. And the need for us to shift toward more environmentally-friendly foods.

How Can You Reduce Your Environmental Impact and Offset Your Personal Carbon Footprint

There are a few things you can do to mitigate some of the negative environmental effects of consuming grapefruits, while still enjoying them. You can also consider offsetting your personal and grapefruit-related carbon emissions, which work to remove carbon emissions elsewhere that are then attributed to you. Here, we will walk you through how to accomplish both of these things.

How Can You Reduce Your Environmental Impact When Shopping for Grapefruits

In this section, we give you a short list of ways you can reduce the negative environmental effects of oranges, based on those parts of the life-cycle of grapefruits that would otherwise most negatively impact the environment:

1. Avoid packaging: One of the worst aspects of grapefruit production is their use of harmful materials like plastic and styrofoam. If you make sure that the grapefruits you buy are loose with no packaging then you can help reduce your footprint in this area. Even if you can find more eco-friendly packaging made from paper or cardboard, which is much easier to recycle, then you will be able to reduce your impact. 
2. Compost your grapefruit peels: Food waste in landfills is a huge problem. If you want to really help reduce your grapefruit carbon footprint, you should make an effort to compost your grapefruit peels. If your city doesn’t have a composting system, you can consider making one yourself. 
3. Re-use your grapefruit peels: Even better than composting is using the whole fruit in the first place! There are a multitude of uses for grapefruit peels, including making candy, teas, liqueurs, and even cleaning supplies! 

Following some of these methods can really help you to cut down on your environmental impact of eating grapefruits. None of these will completely eradicate these negative impacts, since there are always effects that may be outside of your control. But some reduction is always better than nothing!

Which Organizations Can You Support to Help Alleviate Your Environmental Impact

While grapefruits can cause a wide range of environmental damage, there are also some organizations that help you reduce parts of your impact that would otherwise be outside of your control. These organizations are working hard to prevent and reverse damage to the environment caused by industries like grapefruits agriculture.

In the table below are some of the best environmental charities that work in the areas where grapefruits production has affected the environment – and beyond:

Though it is helpful to reduce the environmental impact of your personal grapefruits consumption, supporting these organizations takes your positive impact a step further. You will be reaching far beyond your own consumption impacts and helping to build a better world for everyone!

How Can You Offset Your Personal Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is a key part of your environmental impact. And it is one of the ways we measure the effects of our human-induced global climate change. Yes, even from eating grapefruits!

“Carbon footprint: the amount of greenhouse gasses and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something (such as a person’s activities or a product’s manufacture and transport) during a given period”

Merriam Webster

Basically, it is the amount of carbon emitted by you as an individual or an organization providing you with goods and services – including grapefruits:

• This includes GHG emissions from producing the products that we use and foods that we eat (e.g., power plants, factories or farms, and landfills)
• GHG emissions from fuel that we burn directly or indirectly (e.g., logistics and transportation, cooling or heating facilities),
• as well as the GHG emissions attributed to how we consume these products and foods.

Carbon offsets are reductions in carbon emissions that are used to compensate for carbon emissions occurring elsewhere – for example for the carbon emissions that are associated with grapefruits. They are measured in tons of CO₂ equivalents and are bought and sold through international brokers, online retailers, and trading platforms on what is known as the global carbon offset market. 

“Carbon Offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world, for example by planting trees”

Oxford Dictionary

In terms of grapefruits – and indeed all food types – there will always be a carbon footprint, because of the resources it takes to get your food from farms to the place where you’ll eventually eat them. And while there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint when shopping for grapefruits, carbon offsets would be a way to reduce your CO₂e emissions all the way down to net zero (or even to become climate positive).

However, when you purchase carbon offsets, it’s important that they actually make a difference in offsetting (aka reducing) total carbon emissions. To achieve that, the following are key criteria:

• Carbon offset projects have to be effective (different projects have different effectiveness rates)
• Carbon offset projects have to be additional
• Carbon offset projects have to be permanent
• The claims from carbon offset projects have to be verifiable

To find the best carbon offsets for you personally, check out our full guide on the best carbon offsets for individuals, where you’ll also learn more about how these carbon offset projects work, what their respective offsetting costs are, and what your best way would be to offset your own carbon emissions.

Final Thoughts

Though grapefruits have some positive qualities, like their very low carbon footprint, they are also prone to many environmental damages. Their use of nitrogen fertilizer damages waterways, their plastic and styrofoam packaging contributes significantly to landfills, and their monoculture farming has reduced biodiversity. However, by following some of the reduction tips like cutting down on packaging, you can be a more responsible grapefruit consumer. 

Stay impactful,

Sources

• Hopkins Medicine: Grapefruit Health Benefits
• Coherent Market Insights: Grapefruit Market
• UN Environment Programme: Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment: Towards an Integrated Approach
• Our World in Data: The environmental impacts of food and agriculture
• Our World in Data: Global land use for food production
• World Health Organization: Preventing disease through healthy environments: a global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks
• ScienceDirect (Biological Conservation): Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers
• EPA: The Sources and Solutions: Agriculture
• EPA: Reducing Food Waste and Packaging
• FoodPrint: The Environmental Impact of Food Packaging
• Arizona: Irrigating Citrus Trees
• Impactful Ninja: What is the Carbon Footprint of Grapefruits
• CAADP: Intro to Citrus
• Impactful Ninja: What is the Carbon Footprint of Bananas
• Impactful Ninja: What is the Carbon Footprint of Watermelons
• Britannica: Grapefruit
• Frontiers In: Appraisal of Carbon Capture, Storage, and Utilization Through Fruit Crops
• Green Matters: How Do Carbon Emissions Affect the Environment
• The Independent: Avocado, Coffee, and Citrus Fruits Threaten Global Food Security
• Gallant Intl: Environmental Impacts of Monoculture
• Science Direct: Systematic Review of Soil Erosion in Citrus Orchards
• Iber Dola: What is Desertification?
• WWF: 10 Products and Ingredients Come From Tropical Forests
• Pacha Mama: Effects of Deforestation
• 1001 Artificial Plants: 6 Effects of Monoculture on Biodiversity
• Gardening Know How: How to Water a Cherry Tree
• Water Footprint Network: What Is a Water Footprint?
• IFAS: An Overview of the Grapefruit Market in the US
• State Summaries: Florida Climate
• Eco Watch: 12 Fruits You’d Better Buy Organic
• FAO: Environmental Considerations in Irrigation Development
• Frutas Hortalizas: Grapefruit Packaging
• The Guardian: Deadliest Plastics
• GOV.BC: Environmental Protection and Pesticides
• Gardening Tips: Best Fertilizer for Grapefruit Trees
• Mitsui: Reducing the Environmental Impact of Chemical Fertilizers
• Soil Association: Nitrogen Pollution
• EPA: The Issue With Nitrogen Fertilizer
• Repository Arizona: Mechanical Harvester for Lemons and Grapefruits
• EPA: Reducing the Impact of Wasted Food
• CEHN: Styrofoam FAQ
• Biological Diversity: The Plastic Production Problem
• Also Known As: 12 Interesting Facts About Packaging Waste
• Insider: Is Styrofoam Recyclable?
• Colorado: The Hidden Damage of Landfills
• GOV.BC: Waste Management
• AP News: After Hurricane Ian
• WUSF News: Too Much Polluted Agricultural Water
• Science Daily: Fertilizer Runoff in Streams and Rivers
• SN Applied Sciences Journal: Worldwide pesticide usage and its impacts on ecosystem
• Our World in Data: Global greenhouse gas emissions from food production
• Our World in Data: The environmental impacts of food and agriculture
• Earth Easy: Composting
• Winter Sweetz: Don’t Throw Away Those Grapefruit Peels
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that fight to protect our environment
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities for reforestation
• Impactful Ninja: Best wildlife conservation charities
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities for protecting the Amazon rainforest
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that protect our national parks
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that fight for clean water
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that help conserve our rivers
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities to save our oceans
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that help farmers
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities for helping farm animals
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities for climate change
• Impactful Ninja: Best carbon offsets for individuals
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that fight to reduce food waste
• Impactful Ninja: Best charities that fight to end plastic pollution
• Our World in Data: Emissions from food alone would take us past 1.5°C or 2°C this century
• Impactful Ninja: Why Is a Carbon Footprint Bad for the Environment
• Impactful Ninja: Best Carbon Offsets for Individuals