Who: Farmers
What: Farmers are unable to successfully produce sufficient numbers of corn and soybeans when
temperatures rise above 84 degrees Fahrenheit
Why: Warmer temperatures throw off growing patterns of farmers, and change the environment that corn and soybeans are used to growing at which increases food prices.
-There are other "who's" to my opportunity. Farmers, Grocery Stores, Restaurants, Customers, will all pay more for corn and soybeans (along with corn and soybean based products) as a result of climate change. Yes they all share the same want for a change or hault to climate change because it is costing them more money.
-What regions are the crops growing? What are the temperatures on average? Is it just corn and soybeans or is there other crops? What crops, if any, benefit from climate change? What farming practices are currently being used?
-The people who all share the need (previously stated) all wish to make money more efficiently. Climate change throws obstacles in the growing of the two crops that previously weren't as escalated. Overtime, as our carbon footprint increased, they've seen that they're unable to make the same dollar as easily due to increased measures demanded of them now that temperatures have risen. Customers are the one exception who are on the other side of the spectrum who wish to save that extra dollar charged of them because of climate change. All wish to save money, but customers are the only ones who are unable to make money. They have the same needs however.
Interviews
1) I interviewed my Uncle who used to be an agricultural science teacher. I asked him his thoughts and he explained to me that every crop is different. Some plants are suited for warmer weather and others are not. This is why various plants grow only in specific regions of the world. He also elaborated how temperature can increase the amount of labor needed to harvest the needed number by demanders. I then asked him how he feels about the matter as a customer, to which he went into further detail. He reminded me we often times do not see what it takes to harvest these crops until there's a problem in regards to detail or quality of what is being harvested. It takes us doing research on what we consume to find out the truth. He mentioned the customer doesn't have a clue how much shipping is for x amount of pounds of corn. Or how long it takes for corn to be harvested. Or field rotation. He says stuff like that is why farmers are still essential to society today despite their absence in the economy.
Prior to the interview I had no idea that farmers rotate crops on different fields. I also did not think about how little customers know about their food unless we research it. It made me rethink my consumption and also made me think about how big of a factor money is in our lives. Yes, I want to save money on corn and soybeans despite not knowing how they are harvested or grown.
2) I interviewed a friends' parents who own their own restaurant. They were more than happy to talk about how they shop for products and how they feel the impact as well. They mentioned often times, products like limes (essential for a Mexican restaurant) are often times expensive so they grocery shop at different stores for products. They also elaborated about how an increase in things such as limes, put them in a predicament. When prices of groceries go up, they ultimately make less profit because they put more out, but their prices are set. They mentioned how it looks unprofessional to constantly change your price on people despite not making the same profit they could be making.
Prior to this, I hadn't thought about shopping at different stores for different groceries. I often just buy it anyways because for whatever reason I assume every grocery store pays the same shipping and handling cost when that is not the case.
3)I interviewed a friend of mine also as a customer to get her perspective on climate change also. She stated that she believes there is a drastic need for change in order to prolong our time on the Earth. She mentioned things such as hurricanes in the past and currently things such as the Australian forest fires. She said she doesn't mind paying more for things that help the climate as long as help is being delivered. She also feels the rise in price of crops and things and understands the logistics behind it all. However, as a customer she wishes a change would occur so that nobody as to go through the constant fluctuating of prices.
4) I asked my teacher if he could share his thoughts on the matter as well. He said he doesn’t necessarily believe if climate change is 100% truthful. He feel Florida had a great winter this season in the past and argues that it was colder than previous years. He also mentioned how natural disasters are simply that-natural. I asked him if he thought things such as hurricanes and fires could be avoided to which he explained how he thought they can be avoided by humans but not the Earth.
To a certain extent I almost let myself believe some of what he said. They are natural disasters for a reason, but I still believe the scale at which they are occurring at is like nothing before.
5) Lastly, I asked google a series of questions to gather more research. I wanted to know the statistics behind the argument for climate change to which i learned, that forest fires as increased by nearly 400%. Since the Industrial Revolution, our oceans have become 30% more acidic. Perhaps the most astonishing fact, was that the wealthiest 1 billion people emit 60% of our greenhouse gas, while the poorest 3 billion produce only 5%.
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