Urban and rural effects of extreme heat on vulnerable communities

according to the union of concerned

scientists

miami-dade county is currently

experiencing

41 days a year that feel like 100

degrees fahrenheit

but it’s predicted to experience 134

such days a year by 2050 if noble action

to get emissions of greenhouse gases is

taken

climate change affects all of us but it

affects

more some communities over others

for example more than 9 000 americans

died from exposure to high heat

temperatures

from 1979 to 2014

making it the leading cause of

weather-related deaths in the u.s

and a disproportionate share of those

were people of color

black and brown neighborhoods are often

used as sites for industry and waste

management

which pump heat and contamination into

the air

creating what is called the urban heat

island effect

this occurs when cities replace natural

land cover

with dense concentrations of pavements

buildings and other surfaces

that absorb and retain heat

my name is ludovica martella and i’m a

climate justice reporter

researcher and applicant in this segment

we’re going to see how high heat

temperatures

are affecting low income communities and

communities of color

and particularly women we’re about to

see

two of your neighbors who will provide a

urban

and a rural perspective of the heat

issue in south florida

my name is pia palomino and i’m a

community organizer with family action

network movement

a non-profit organization based in

little haiti

at faum we provide services to

low-income families and we organize and

educate our members around social issues

such as climate change and its

repercussions in order to strengthen the

role in the community

extreme heat is one of the issues that

we are most familiar with here in

florida

most people are used to complaining

about the heat when they step outside

for a second

but for low income families the heat is

inescapable

the median household income in little

haiti is between 20 000 to 30

000 a year this means that some people

cannot afford to have their own car

and many have no choice but to use

public transportation which isn’t the

best here in miami

some buses don’t even have air

conditioning available so you see people

walking outside

waiting for the bus because some of them

don’t have the means to be driving

around in their own cars

taking advantage of the safety of being

protected from the heat

instead you see groups of people huddled

together under a small area of

shade usually coming from the side of a

building which is even more dangerous

and unacceptable now during the pandemic

these people are risking their lives

just to be provided with some

shade and relief from the heat if people

don’t have air conditioning available in

their homes or on public transportation

then they’re stuck with the heat all day

this is why we need more solutions and

green spaces here in little haiti

one way to combat this issue is to

increase the urban canopy of the

community

through parks green spaces or the

planting of trees alongside the street

this is a proven way to bring the

temperature down

which often reaches up to 100 degrees in

the summer especially

parks and open spaces can be designed to

mitigate the effects of flooding and

contribute to improved air quality

green infrastructure practices can

produce positive health outcomes

which translate to reduce costs to local

health systems

in miami unfortunately we see most of

the new parks being constructed in

wealthier neighborhoods

and in the suburbs while increasing

green spaces in little haiti where the

community is

most vulnerable is often overlooked even

though we have a higher number of people

walking in the street or using public

transportation

most of the streets have little to no

shade and instead we see the streets

covered with construction

or warehouses concrete glass asphalt and

other surfaces that are very common in

the city trap heat during the day

and release it at night so the heat is

even felt when the sun

goes down resilient infrastructure is

the key to future urban development

and plays an even greater role as the

climate stakes get higher

but it’s important to remember to make

it affordable in order to not

disproportionately affect communities

this is why it’s important to engage the

community to fight for protection

against the changing climate

most of the caribbean population that

makes up little haiti is accustomed to

high temperatures

but even the extreme heat is starting to

affect them

at farm we’ve seen an increase in people

coming in to escape the heat

or to complain that their air

conditioning has broken this is an

expense that many cannot afford to have

we’ve had families come in saying that

their power has been cut off and they’re

suffering with the heat

unable to sleep and work properly

because of this many don’t understand

the privilege of having air conditioning

we provide them with the assistance in

order for them to get their services

turned back on

in addition to this we have lots of

rallies and events outside and it is our

priority to make sure our members are

safe

and taken care of we strive to provide

them with tents to cover them from the

sun

water eye sanitation and food we have to

prioritize the health of the community

we are serving

not endanger them

little haiti is just one of the

low-income neighborhoods

struggling with increasing temperatures

due to climate change

realities like this are more common than

what you would think

let’s now shift our focus from an urban

perspective on heat to a rural

perspective

as of november 2020 nationally

there is no heat standard protecting us

outdoor workers from extreme heat

as a result farm workers around the

country

for example consistently suffer from

health complications

such as heat strokes and heat cramps

pregnant farm workers are increasingly

at risk

just in the u.s 9 out of 10 studies

found a significant association between

exposure

to heat during pregnancy and adverse

birth outcomes

studies identified an increase of up to

21 percent

of premature births due to increasing

temperatures

when compared to previous years the

effect

is larger for black and brown women than

women of other races

suggesting that the projected increases

in extreme temperatures

over the next century may further

exacerbate

racial disparities in maternal health

here’s guadalupe de la cruz who will

give us her first hand account

of the impact that heat has on farm

workers

and pregnant farm workers in south

florida

hello my name is guadalupe de la cruz

farm worker program director with

american friends service committee in

florida

farm workers have always been members of

the community that have been thought

little of when it comes to protection

safety and pay though many times

farmworker issues are painted as a

general

the perspective of farmworker women are

not pointed out or highlighted

when advocating for farmworker rights

through the hottest months of the year

farmworkers face the challenges of

keeping up with the demand of work

all the while working under pressures of

bosses discrimination

violence anti-immigrant policies and

implementations

that can potentially lead to the process

of detention and deportation

with temperatures on the rise and

reports of more heat waves coming

we see that the health and the quality

of life of many farm worker women are

affected

long exposure to sun and heat lead for

many women to develop both short-term

and long-term chronic conditions

such as fainting in the workplace

dehydration

heat exhaustion heat strokes dangerous

body temperatures that can damage

internal organs and affect the woman’s

reproductive system

pregnant farm workers are more likely to

experience complications with

pregnancies

and we see how heat can directly affect

the fetus causing developmental issues

such as preterm birth

child being born with low birth weight

and at times a stillborn

we know that breaks are not often taken

during long work

days because there is a constant fear of

losing their job

especially when immigration status is

something workers may not have

though osha may have statues related to

workers and heat

they only provide best practices for

companies and workers to follow on this

matter

there are no state laws that guaranteed

safety and accountability of bosses to

carry out

safe measures for workers during hot

days there is no guarantee to shaded

brakes

or access to cool clean water with some

states not having right to pregnancy

accommodations

women who are pregnant have very little

power or leverage

to negotiate with bosses or other

workers to carry on lighter

loads of work all this

with an added factor of pesticide and

chemical exposure in the fields

make heat and sun exposure more

dangerous

there are no federal heat standards that

protect farm worker women in the

workplace

and that is why as we get closer to

legislative session we continue to

mobilize and advocate to our state

officials

the importance of putting into place

policies and laws

that protect farm workers and farm

worker women

initiatives that become bills like

pregnant worker fairness act

and the bill for heat illness prevention

mandate trainings to workers exposed to

heat and sun both

indoors and outdoors these bills protect

and guarantee the workers right to shade

brakes water and much needed trainings

for health and safety so workers know

what to do during these intense

days of heat

the reality is that these two women boys

are part of an

area of voices that are often silenced

or do not get the attention that they

deserve

climate change is multi-layered it has

environmental

health and social implications the

experiences of pia and guadalupe

are meant to show you that there are

people suffering greatly from the heat

more than others if you are wondering

how you could help

you’re already on the right track

because you’re here

share with your family and friends what

you have learned today and continue

learning

one way you do this is to get involved

with local organizations

this is also a good way to give back to

your community

and to your neighborhoods there are

dozens of active organizations in

miami-dade

which you can join to make a difference

for example

you can access a list of some of them

through the website of the miami climate

alliance

thank you for having listened and thank

you for taking action