Photo courtesy of Ted S. Warren ( AP ).Critical infrastructure has been melted, hundreds of people have died, and many schools have been closed as a result of the record-breaking heat wave currently sweeping through the Pacific Northwest. It also affected grocers.AdvertisementInsider first reported that Washington's grocery stores have taken extreme measures to withstand the historical high temperatures. They covered refrigerated products with plastic and pulled perishables off shelves. The staggering temperatures can cause freezers and refrigerators to fail. Despite the fact that the worst of the heat is over for many areas, it still shows how terrible things were.One reporter from a Seattle Fox affiliate stated that meats, deli meats and bagged salads are all gone right now. You'll see rows upon rows of empty shelves as you enter. These items were removed from refrigerated areas.Customers shared photos on social media of scenes featuring empty shelves and stories about how local stores like Fred Meyer, a Kroger affiliate, have turned to rooftop sprinklers for cooling. Others showed plastic sheets that these retailers had pulled over perishables in order to let cool air in.The Fox affiliate reported that most perishables are just thrown away in one case.This issue is also affecting local eateries. Many locals have had to close their doors because their equipment cannot withstand the temperatures of 100+ degrees. Food cart owners have also had to close their doors due to extreme heat, often more than 12 degrees higher than outside. CNN spoke to an operator earlier this week, saying that he didn't know how food carts would survive this heat.The heat also affected local food producers. Oysters and shellfish such as clams and oysters were also destroyed. At least one oyster company saw thousands of clams littering the beaches and rotting in sunlight.AdvertisementLissa James Monberg (marketing director at her family's Hama Hama Company) said that most people only see the shell of dead clams on the beaches. The meat is not visible. These images are frightening because the clams look like they are eating meat.Monberg suggested that the strange scene might be due to more clams than the scavengers could remove. This shows how climate change can cause havoc in everything, from the food system to the ecosystems that we also depend on.
