| A SPOTLIGHT ON THE JOURNALISM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION HELPS BRING TO LIFE. |
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Shaun McKinnon | Environment Editor and Storytelling Coach
@shaunmckinnon |
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| I’m Shaun Mckinnon , The Republic’s environmental editor and storytelling coach. |
| About a year ago, we set out to explore one of the most uniquely Arizona things, a part of the state’s history that school kids still study: the Five C’s. |
| If you went to school here, you probably memorized the Five C’s. Climate, Copper, Citrus, Cattle and Cotton. You probably learned that they were once seen as the foundational elements of the state’s economy, the pistons and spark plugs of Arizona’s engine. |
| But are they still? That’s the question our environment and climate team wanted to answer. Are the Five C’s still central to what keeps our state chugging along? And how have they changed over the last century, as the state has grown into what it is today? |
| The short answer is: The Five C’s are still alive and well, though maybe not at the same scope they once were. At least two other C’s have emerged as important parts of our economy in recent years: Construction and, most recently, Chips, as in computer components. |
| But we found cattle ranchers who are still helping keep agriculture at the forefront of what makes Arizona run, and in the first our 5 C’s stories, which start in today’s Arizona Republic, reporter Brandon Loomis introduces you to some of those families. |
| “I don’t know anything else,” Kitty Lyman, a 26-year-old rancher, told Brandon. “We learn how to work hard. You’ve got a community with lots of people that think alike. I enjoy being around animals and working outside.” |
| Copper remains a critical part of our economy. Arizona produces much of the nation’s copper and, as demand grows, the output will, too. |
| Other stories will show you some of these industries have evolved over time, particularly cotton — farmers have found niches in organic cotton and seeds — and citrus, whose groves were slowly pushed out of metro Phoenix by development. |
| The C that was most difficult to define today was climate. Our story on how the state’s leaders once tried to lure people to Arizona for its clean air and pleasant, warm weather is fascinating, even as that weather warms faster. |
| We hope you’ll come away from these stories with a better understanding of the Five C’s and maybe learn a few things they never taught you in school. |
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| And if you like what you read, we’d like to invite you to subscribe to our weekly climate and environment newsletter. It’ll arrive in your inbox every Tuesday morning with insight into stories we’ve written and stories we’re working on, along with extras from our team. You can find the sign-up link here. |
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| They showed up on the official seal before statehood, but not even Arizona’s state historian can pinpoint the beginnings of the Five C’s. |
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I write about restaurant closings all the time. Sometimes multiple times a day. Then “our place” closed and my reaction shocked me. |
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A recent study by Lending Tree found that raising a child in Arizona is less affordable than in many other states. See the rankings. |
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The lawsuit filed by the FTC says Greystar only disclosed rental prices after application fees were paid. Arizona sued Greystar in 2024 claiming price-fixing. |
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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia are at odds. Smith laid out in detail mistakes the owner has made. |
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Metro Phoenix has a long, unique history. Relive it through these historical photos of restaurants, important events and everyday life. |
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