Just kidding I don't drink tea so this doesn't really apply to me but I do enjoy food and world crop production is being greatly affected by global warming. Check out the article and think:
1) How is this going to affect you?
2) What can we do about this issue?
3) How is this going to affect other crops?
4) Who is going to get hurt the most if this trend continues?
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26754121
This is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteAs an avid tea drinker I was immediately drawn to this post. In the article attached by Mr. Lahaie it talked about how climate change is affecting the rainfall patterns in India (the monsoon season), an area that produces a lot of the “Assam” teas for the world. Assam tea is a black tea that was discovered by a Scottish Adventurer in 1823, and is quite popular in Europe. Today, it is seen in many breakfast teas. In India now, the tea growers are facing the need to raise the price as the crop becomes more expensive to yield, but they cannot due to the competition’s prices.
Other countries are noticing the change in the Monsoon season as well, changing the amount of time they are able to pick their best crops. In China, Montana State University has begun a study on the health effects, and quality of the teas grown during the Monsoon season. The beginning of the results have shown that the tea produced in the Monsoon season( which is getting longer and longer due to Global Warming) have reduced rates of the heath compounds related to taste, and antioxidants, but the other chemicals that do not boost health are increased.
This to me, is concerning. I think that although it is obvious that the reduction in the growing season of tea leaves in countries such as India would affect the country’s economy that the heath reduction of the teas will become a world issue rather as opposed to one country.
Here are my sources:
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3025783/how-climate-change-is-changing-the-worlds-tea
http://www.alltea.com/black-tea/indian-black-tea/assam-black-tea
I agree with you Ruth! I drink a fair amount of tea because I know it is good for you, and i'm sure people in India drink it for the same reasons. So if it was less available for them, it could have a health impact for some people.
DeleteI agree Ruth! Tea is something I drink a lot for medicinal, health and just enjoyment purposes. I know for a fact that many people use tea for medicinal purposes so this environmental issue could soon transform into a health issue. Not only that but it would definitely affect the economy in India since it is such a booming industry there.
DeleteI agree with you guys! Tea is full of nutrients and antioxidants which might not be easily accessible to the people in these developing countries where tea is a staple part of their diet. It could really impact their health.
DeleteCouldn't agree more. It's shocking that something as simple as tea growing could become a world issue. I guess there's more to tea than meets the eye.
DeleteI also agree, I find it interesting how it could affect both their economic and health. Never really thought about this before, coffee is the one normally in the spotlight.
DeleteI personally don't drink tea but it is alarming how the reduction in the growing season of tea leaves would affect countries such as India's economy like you said!
ReplyDeleteThis is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteI too drink tea rather frequently so the headline of this article was particularly enthralling to me. From my understanding, it seems as if the sporadic accounts of rainfall due to climate change is what’s responsible for this issue in tea productivity. The amount of precipitation they receive is very inconsistent – some months these tea growers will experience a heavy downpour but other months they’ll encounter a dry spell. In result, the rain’s varying activity deteriorates these tea gardens topsoil. However, this isn’t the only undesirable contribution this constant shift in temperatures and lack of rainwater holds to the harvesting of tealeaves – it’s proven that this humid weather and dryness has attracted a series of pests. To ward off these insects isn’t inexpensive either – the great concern of the high funding that goes towards yielding these plants is very evident in this article. It’s especially worrying because despite the rise in funds that go towards production – these tea companies aren’t entitled to increase the price on their stock in fear that their clients will turn to rivaling tea businesses.
Needless to say, there seems to be quite an imbalance as far as cultivation goes and if it isn’t managed soon – these tea growers should anticipate many future difficulties. I looked further into this issue in search of other impacts climate change has on the tea market and as it turns out – it also tampers with the quality of the tea as well as the health benefits that this popular drink supplies. Tufts University is currently undergoing an experiment within a four-year span that uncovers the long-term affects climate change holds on the concentration of chemical compounds that are responsible for tea's stimulant, sensory and healthful properties. This specific study mostly focuses on the main tea growing provinces in China and hopes that their findings will act as a guideline to these tea growers in regards to adapting with climate change.
I think the fact that there are studies and funding going towards a cause like this is very crucial. Even though this experiment is specifically located in China – I think that countries like India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and so forth will benefit by these verdicts. Not only would these industries strive financially with this newfound research bettering their productivity rates - we as consumers would be at an advantage too since we know we’re not being spared any of the heath or other benefits that we originally bargained for when purchasing these products!
I sincerely hope that this trend doesn’t continue for obvious reasons. However, if it does then you can bet that it won’t be just one party that will be impacted negatively – everyone from members of these countries economies to the consumers located worldwide will suffer. Thus, making it a world issue in the truest sense of the term.
Here are my sources:
http://www.worldteanews.com/news/impact-climate-change-worlds-favorite-drink#sthash.gyenx7c3.9oQ4Uijp.dpbs
http://now.tufts.edu/news-releases/reading-tea-leaves-impact-climate-change
This is my weekly post:
ReplyDeleteIn North America, I would consider tea a luxury item but in other countries (i.e. India), tea is a staple in their diet. In India, tea provides millions with the hydration and nutrients that are essential towards their health. The impoverished areas of India will suffer most of all; making tea more expensive will thus result in making tea less accessible to the victims of poverty. Also, India produces one third of the worlds tea meaning that as the tea industry falls, millions of people will lose their jobs causing India's economy to fall into a downward spiral which frankly, I don't think that their country can afford. Tea producing countries are surely going to be affected by this climate change, however, many of the articles that I looked at showed North Americans and even more so the British being quite upset about this tea dilemma. If these countries that indulge in tea as a luxury item donated money to help build greenhouses and tea-friendly environments for the people of India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, etc. to run, it could greatly help these developing countries stabilize and provide us with tea.
This is a link that I referred to for further information:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2591787/Is-climate-change-wipe-British-cuppa-Assam-tea-increasingly-hard-grow-rainfall-drops.html
I think you're right, Gabrielle. This environmental and economic shift is going to tear apart these tea producers, and it only makes sense that the developed countries who consume so much tea should be the ones to reach out and contribute to the compensation for this issue. It would, after all, be a win-win situation for the producers and the consumers if we were able to help get the industry back on its feet!
DeleteThis is my week's post:
ReplyDeleteSimilar to others, I drink a fair amount of tea myself and was drawn to this article to see how it might affect me. I don't believe I have ever actually had Assam tea, unless it was in some kind of black tea blend. Doing some research, I see on some tea "enthusiast" type websites that Assam tea is one of the most popular teas in the world and is most commonly from India. Unfortunately, they all back up the fact that the tea's quality is dependent on the climate in which it grows. This is bad news for people who take their tea seriously and worse news for India's tea industry.
According to some research that I will link at the end, India exported something like 670 million dollars worth of tea in 2011-12. So, tea is obviously a pretty major industry in India, and problems in the industry could have quite the effect on their economy. That being said it could have a very positive effect on Kenya's economy as their tea will be easier and cheaper to produce and buy, therefore bringing in more money. I suppose the economic effects are all based on where you are in the world.
As for what we can do, it seems as if the best Assam tea comes from this region in India and unless we as the consumers are willing to give up quality, we should be willing to pay the extra price. Yes, India will still lose some money, but if customers are there wanting product from India, they will be able to keep their heads above water. Hypothetically, if they lose only some of their purchasers to Kenya it might actually be a good thing, helping out Kenya without destroying their own economy. That would probably only happen in the ideal world, but nothing wrong with trying to see the positive possibilities.
Here's the link to India's tea industry facts:
http://www.ibef.org/exports/indian-tea-industry.aspx
wow cool post Trevor, i cant believe they exported 670 million dollars worth of tea! That is so much tea!
DeleteThis is my weekly post;
ReplyDeleteJust like everyone above I drink tea A LOT. Tea leaves, tea lattes, iced tea, basically anything with tea in it, I will drink. So as an avid tea drinker I find this world issue very concering, considering it seems to me tea has gotten "cooler" somehow in North American culture (we're finally catching on!) I don't think i have ever drank Assam tea, unless it was mixed into a blend or something like Trevor said, but this is still very relevant to me.
I did some research and found that this Assam tea is quite popular in tea culture due to it's health benefits and anti-oxidents that are released when it is brewed. The climate changing is definitly cause for worrying considering the tea industry is detremental to the wellfare of India's economy.
As negative of an effect that this has on India's economy, Kenya will benefit greatly if prices raise too much on Indian tea. Kenya will be able to supply less expensive, although worse in quality, tea. This will help Kenya's econonmy due to the fact that they are struggling and have been for a long time. It's all dependant on perspective.
Canada as a country can help India's tea industry by continuing to purchase their product even if the prices raise. I'm not saying that India won't still suffer from the drastic weather change, but this will help. Even if India loses some of their customers to Kenya and other places in the world, it won't be too drastic i dont think. Anyways, this way other economies across the world will slightly benefit which might not be terrible in the scheme of things. We can also continue to try and be environmentally friendly by walking and recycling etc. to try and lower green house gases and therefore reduce global warming (hopefully)
I worry for India because tea is such an important part of their diet and everyday life, not to mention their culture. The same goes for England and other countries in the East. As much as I would like to complain about losing my tea or paying more, I am really more worried about everyone this will affect immediately.
Hopefully things get better, Tea is Awesome ! :)
http://www.teablossoms.com.au/assamteainfo.php ; Here's a little something about assam tea