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