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This is what the article says, in regards to water: "Frequently, not trusting the quality of local drinking water, workers drink sodas and soft drinks, and exp

This is what the article says, in regards to water: "Frequently, not trusting the quality of local drinking water, workers drink sodas and soft drinks, and experimental evidence suggests that doing so can lead to even more kidney damage." I find it hard to believe that someone who has access to soft drinks doesn't have access to clean water. The way I read the above statement, is that the workers don't trust the local water (i.e. well water or streams, it's not clear), so they bring their own hydration, but unfortunately they are bringing soft drinks instead of bottled water. So if you want to change the title, the alternate title would be 'Coca-Cola is turning dehydration into a deadly epidemic". But still, this is not quite right, because Coca-Cola has been in the global market place for decades, so I would presume workers drinking soft drinks in these areas is nothing new. But what is new is climate change, hence the original title.

pdonis 8y ago
> This is what the article says, in regards to water Yes, and it doesn't even ask they question why the workers don't trust the quality of local drinking water. Which, as I said, is not a problem caused by climate change. > The way I read the above statement, is that the workers don't trust the local water (i.e. well water or streams, it's not clear), so they bring their own hydration, but unfortunately they are bringing soft drinks instead of bottled water. Which is, again, not a problem caused by climate change. > I would presume workers drinking soft drinks in these areas is nothing new. Neither is the kidney disease problem. It's been going on for at least 20 years, according to the article (which says that one of the doctors interviewed started in 1998 and saw the problem then). It's gotten worse over time because more people are working under these conditions, because the population has grown and more food is needed.
- qqqwerty 8y ago
  Meanwhile, climate change deniers are pointing at the cold weather on the east coast as proof that climate change isn't real. It is entirely fair to suggest that the increase in heat waves that are likely caused by climate change may be causing an increase in kidney disease related deaths. There are certainly other issues at play, and in the grand scheme of things, this is probably not a difficult problem to solve compared to other climate related issues, but this issue is interesting precisely because it was unexpected. We are still struggling to get a good idea of what the impacts of climate change will be, and this finding helps inform that effort.
  - pdonis 8y ago
    > It is entirely fair to suggest that the increase in heat waves that are likely caused by climate change may be causing an increase in kidney disease related deaths. Which still doesn't address the issue of why the obvious remedy--access to clean water--is not in place. > this issue is interesting precisely because it was unexpected. Oh, please. It's been going on for more than 20 years. Unexpected? To me, this is just sensationalist journalism that would rather post clickbait headlines than actually dig into the real problem.
  - pdonis 8y ago
    > We are still struggling to get a good idea of what the impacts of climate change will be But this problem isn't even an impact of climate change unless you think that not having access to clean water, causing kidney disease, was OK 20 years ago, and only became not OK when the temperature got a bit warmer. In other words, by blaming it on "climate change", you're letting off the hook the people who are actually responsible--the governments and agribusinesses that have been making these workers work in the heat without giving them reliable access to clean water, thereby causing them to get kidney disease, for at least 20 years now. The way to fix that is to hold those people accountable, regardless of what the climate is doing.

pdonis 8y ago

> This is what the article says, in regards to water Yes, and it doesn't even ask they question why the workers don't trust the quality of local drinking water. Which, as I said, is not a problem caused by climate change. > The way I read the above statement, is that the workers don't trust the local water (i.e. well water or streams, it's not clear), so they bring their own hydration, but unfortunately they are bringing soft drinks instead of bottled water. Which is, again, not a problem caused by climate change. > I would presume workers drinking soft drinks in these areas is nothing new. Neither is the kidney disease problem. It's been going on for at least 20 years, according to the article (which says that one of the doctors interviewed started in 1998 and saw the problem then). It's gotten worse over time because more people are working under these conditions, because the population has grown and more food is needed.

qqqwerty 8y ago
Meanwhile, climate change deniers are pointing at the cold weather on the east coast as proof that climate change isn't real. It is entirely fair to suggest that the increase in heat waves that are likely caused by climate change may be causing an increase in kidney disease related deaths. There are certainly other issues at play, and in the grand scheme of things, this is probably not a difficult problem to solve compared to other climate related issues, but this issue is interesting precisely because it was unexpected. We are still struggling to get a good idea of what the impacts of climate change will be, and this finding helps inform that effort.
- pdonis 8y ago
  > It is entirely fair to suggest that the increase in heat waves that are likely caused by climate change may be causing an increase in kidney disease related deaths. Which still doesn't address the issue of why the obvious remedy--access to clean water--is not in place. > this issue is interesting precisely because it was unexpected. Oh, please. It's been going on for more than 20 years. Unexpected? To me, this is just sensationalist journalism that would rather post clickbait headlines than actually dig into the real problem.
- pdonis 8y ago
  > We are still struggling to get a good idea of what the impacts of climate change will be But this problem isn't even an impact of climate change unless you think that not having access to clean water, causing kidney disease, was OK 20 years ago, and only became not OK when the temperature got a bit warmer. In other words, by blaming it on "climate change", you're letting off the hook the people who are actually responsible--the governments and agribusinesses that have been making these workers work in the heat without giving them reliable access to clean water, thereby causing them to get kidney disease, for at least 20 years now. The way to fix that is to hold those people accountable, regardless of what the climate is doing.