Climate: The food chain’s weakest link

McDonald’s admits it needs to be aware of ‘all this emerging science’

By Carolyn Pritchard
MarketWatch
May 17, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO — Tens of thousands of Mexicans took to the streets in January to protest tortilla prices as they soared to their highest levels in a decade as demand for corn — a key ingredient not only of tortillas but ethanol — surged. Such fervor is unlikely to sweep the streets of American cities any time soon, even if the domestic food supply is already beginning to be affected by climate change.

The unrest in Mexico highlighted the crucial role corn plays in the modern food-supply chain. It can be found in candy, soda, prepared food, a McDonald’s burger and a host of other common comestibles.

That single grain’s central role in our diet suggests that Earth’s temperature fluctuations, and concerns over emissions that are believed to affect the climate, will become a more intensive focus for the companies that put food in our mouths, as they seek to meet demand with steady supplies and at prices that preserve, or even improve, profit.

“Medium- to long-term, it’s clear that climate change presents a challenge to the profitability of any company in the sector,” said Aron Cramer, president and chief executive of Business for Social Responsibility, a nonprofit entity that works with companies to implement socially responsible practices.

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Lupus cluster at oilfield points finger at pollution

Aria Pearson
11 May 2007
NewScientist.com news service

An alarmingly high number of people living in houses built on top of a disused oilfield in New Mexico have been diagnosed with the autoimmune disease lupus. It is the latest in a growing number of lupus clusters near polluted areas, and points towards the environmental triggers for this complex disease.

When someone has lupus their immune system turns against them, attacking their own tissues, which can lead to joint pain, organ failure and even death. In the US, it is much more common in women and minority groups, especially African Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, estimates that the incidence of the disease has tripled in the past 40 years.

Pollutants seem to be the cause of lupus in people on a housing development in Hobbs, New Mexico, built in 1976 on land that was an active oilfield until the late 1960s. The community noticed an unusually high rate of lupus and contacted James Dahlgren, an environmental toxicologist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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