I have also read that climate change may affect coffee and caviar.

Internet search says that shelf life of cacao beans is up to 3 years.

This is why the rich have to get richer?

I love good chocolate. I am not sure how to stash it away.

We can also add to this list:

Coffee

Seafood

Cotton

Wool

Certain woods

And some negative effects:

Whales losing ground, diminishing in numbers

Increased ocean temperatures and acidity

Increases in severe, record-breaking climatic events (did I read that last year was, so far, the warmest on record?

Famine

Increase in PFAS (“forever chemicals”) — they come from the manufacture of materials we cannot seem to live without: non-stick cookware, medical devices and materials such as catheters,…

Widespread nano-plastics just about everywhere and now found in drinking water, human and animal tissues such as heart and kidneys.

Increases in wildfires and droughts

Landfills overflowing

plastic goods and other materials that do not readily decompose

Endocrine disrupting chemicals, I believe largely from plastics and polymers, fragrances, pesticides, stain repellent fabrics, marterials, carpeting, paints, coatings….

Air Pollutants

Displaced peoples (ex. coffee farmers in Central America)

High Fashion waste despoiling places like the Atacama Desert and Africa.

My sweet neighbor has a baking company and has had to pause production of her delicious brownies. Thank goodness for her banana bread. But she is a small business owner and this is affecting it, and her, greatly. From her website:

The world is facing the worst cocoa shortage in 60 years and chocolate is being rationed to us by our suppliers. Sadly, we must temporarily halt production of our Triple Chocolate Brownies (chocolate comprises 40% of its ingredients). Factors contributing to the shortage include drought, and the development of a major El Nino weather pattern, which is causing drier conditions in West Africa, a major cocoa-producing region. We ask for your patience as we navigate this situation

carolb -- So...chocolate can be frozen without changing taste? I can certainly eat with my eyes closed, not to notice the 'bloom'. I would probably have done just as your DH did, thinking the chocolate had spoiled. (A minor spousal infraction, considering.)

petalique -- I am sure that if we greatly reduced air pollution, thousands of OTC manufacturers would go out of business. We wouldn't need nostrums for most eye, ear, throat, or skin conditions.

I'm going to have to look up why wool is endangered. It's hard enough to find any natural fibers when the poly-whatsis pseudo-fabrics are so cheap. Is that the 'why'?

Oh yes, you can freeze chocolate! I've already started stockpiling my faves. LOL

When the grid overload due to rising temps means your freezer goes out, you can have a chocolate party with your neighbors.

Unlike ice cream, frozen chocolate isn't going to be ruined if it thaws 🙂

The bloom is basically either some of the fat (cocoa butter) or sugar, not spoiling in any way. It's usually due to temperature changes.

https://www.southernliving.com/chocolate-bloom-7693364 

True, but if the house/garage temp is 105 because the AC is down as well as the freezer, it might get soft and mooshy.

I find it a bit peculiar but also amusing that some people consider chocolate in whatever form preferred to be in its own essential food group with a minimum daily requirement. More women than men in that group, in my experience.

Another taste being hit is citrus, with citrus greening being an issue. Vanilla is also on the list, Madagascar is facing drought again this year. There has also been issues with the kind of bee that pollenates vanilla orchids- including Mexico, one of the other big Vanilla producers. Indonesia is looking good though. Bananas are still facing more fungal issues among the popular kind, and some weather issues in the wild genetic stocks.

I still remember the wonderful bananas of my childhood...the Gros Michel which were hit with a disease and became impossible to find. The cavendish which we all eat now became the replacement. Now apparently the cavendish are getting wiped out, and it's not clear what if any replacement there will be. IIRC, I read that there was a small enclave in Africa that was spared the disease and the Gros Michel are still available there.

I can't imagine life without bananas. I remember in my MILs nursing home, they were treated like currency and traded much like cigarettes were during WWII! High in potassium, easy to digest and they keep you going.

I came upon an online site not too long ago, a business in Florida that grows and ships Gros Michel bananas. I checked, it's still there. I have no experience with them so do as you wish.

There are numerous different varieties of bananas. A number of beach vacations to tropical places - even Hawaii but elsewhere too - have afforded me a chance to try many different kinds. Keep an open mind - most I've had were smaller than the mass produced Cavendish we all eat but they can be much sweeter and more delicious.

The advantage of Cavendish and Gros Michel was that they could be picked green, survive ocean voyages to their ultimate destination, and then get "ripened" near their ultimate markets by being treated with gas. In facilities called ripening rooms or banana rooms.

essential food group

Pizza should be in its own food group too 😁

Thanks Elmer, would be fun to try.

I once went to a banana farm in California. The owner grew multiple varieties of bananas for speciality markets and gave tastes. One tasted like strawberries and one for all the world like icecream. The Icecream banana was huge but apparently not a keeper. Too bad. I knew there were lots of bananas and most more sweet and tasty than our usual supermarket banana but never so many lovely flavors.

Many of the lesser known cultivars are way too delicate for commercial production, which is why many are known as dooryard varieties. I've grown them myself - ladyfingers/Mysore and a now a no-name dwarf variety.

" lesser known cultivars are way too delicate for commercial production "

I thought I addressed this directly in my comments. That the two best known varieties used for mass production were chosen for their ability to be picked green, survive ocean transport, and then be artificially ripened.

NOW will we do something about it? Huh? Huh? Will First World problems spark reforms?

No. There is too much of a gap between the expense and inconvenience involved in mitigating climate change and the box of chocolates. From what I have seen many people need the carrot (or the stick) to be immediate in order to change their behavior.

Chisue, pure wool and cotton are not endangered, but are economically out of reach for many. Smart Wool woman’s cable socks, $18 per pair.

But even junkyish fiber socks are expensive.

I used to be able to find decent socks at TJ Max, Macy’s, Marshall’s, but now there lots of synthetics and they have zero shape to them and flop around on my foot like a cheap bag.

I ordered some Bombas socks. Thicker than I wanted, but at least the had a definite heel and toe and don’t spin around on my foot. That brand is not particularly inexpensive.

And when was the last time you found a well-made affordable all wool sweater that was nicely shaped and executed. Does anyone remember those Garland wool crew and V-neck wool sweaters?

If you knit, notice the price of wool yarn.

I love chocolate, but do not have it often.

Yeah, wool is doing fine. It dipped a bit in the early 2000's, but it's been stable with increases for over a decade. The bigger difference is how the wool is being used. After a drop in the 90's apparel wool has kept declining. Less demand, so less is being made. Interior wools have increased a lot and far overtaken apparel wool.

I love chocolate, the dark kind, always buy a bar when grocery shopping.