Extreme heat in kitchens, exacerbated by climate change, is causing severe health issues for restaurant workers.
Workers at various restaurants, including a Seattle-based chain, have secured heat-related protections in their union contracts.
These protections include extra pay for working in high temperatures and the ability to clock out without penalty.
Key quote:
“The heat inside a restaurant is different — it gets into your body.”
— Oscar Hernández, former restaurant worker
Why this matters:
Rising temperatures are a direct result of climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. This means that the problem faced by restaurant workers is part of a larger global crisis. Advocates argue that addressing climate change and improving labor conditions are interconnected battles that must be fought together.
Carbon sequestration, pollinator habitat restoration and simple composting: An increasing number of the region's winegrowers are going beyond sustainability.
A family prepared to evacuate as the Bootleg Fire burned closer to their home and restaurant. In another town, T-shirts memorialized the nation’s largest blaze.
The restaurant will no longer serve meat or seafood when it reopens, Daniel Humm, the chef, said. “The current food system is simply not sustainable, in so many ways,” he said.
