Starving America More with the Climate Crisis

Excerpt: “Climate change will starve forgotten corners of the United States of America. Food insecurity is not a new concept in America. Sadly, one in nine Americans are considered food insecure which means they do not have access to enough food to have an adequate diet. The fragility of our food infrastructure in America can often be highlighted by the vulnerabilities of the food supply chain and the food scarcity that exist despite efforts to close the food insecurity gap.

WHERE DOES CLIMATE CHANGE PLAY A ROLE IN FOOD INSECURITY?

Every aspect of the food system is impacted by climate change for better or worse, but often for worse. As a primary care doctor, I know that food insecurity is an important social determinant of health that influences the health outcomes of my patients and my community. Food access plays a vital role in prevention and treatment of chronic medical diseases. So when climate change threatens the basic need of having access to food in my community, in America, and across the world, we can not stand by as climate change has the potential to starve us. The food system is threatened by climate change because of the increased temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, and land and water contamination risks. Additionally, disruptions in the food supply chain increases and worsens food deserts that negatively impact our most vulnerable populations and communities on a daily basis. A notable disruption to highlight is the 2022 infant formula shortage. Briefly, Abbott Nutrition recalled multiple brands of powdered formula products due to bacterial contamination.

This exacerbated a shortage that already existed because of the COVID pandemic. Imagine an extreme weather event taking out a large food manufacturer’s factory or transportation route. We are always one bad event away from a terrible disaster. Climate change has the potential of multiple disasters stacking on top of each other and compounding the infrastructure problems that already exist, including our food supply chain and food deserts. We see the chaos that occurs when we can anticipate a hurricane or snow storm. We see the bulk purchases and lockdown plans people start implementing. But can we keep doing that type of damage control everywhere? And if so, for how long and to what capacity. Because it seems like we are struggling and stretched.”

Check out full article HERE in the Young, Gifted, and Green Catch the Green Tea Blog Series.