This article will be discussed at the Energy in COVID-19 group meeting on July 7th.
This article was co-authored by a colleague of mine at the Clean Air Council and draws on some of the content that we used for the Climate Ready Philly project. A number of things stood out to me. Vulnerability or vulnerability populations now catch my attention in a way that it didn’t use to; in part, I now see this as a rather flat definition that lacks substance. But nevertheless, it is pretty standard public health terminology.
One of the things I most appreciated about this article was the way in which it included structural conditions related to city planning and also federal policy in its arguments about heat risks. For example, the lack of tree cover and access to parks in low-income neighborhoods was mentioned a number of times as a factor that increases heat vulnerability. These I think could be categorized as “protective community amenities,” a phrase that the authors also used in the article.
I think noting the relationship between air pollution and heat risk is a good one that I wish more people would make. While the authors’ note that air pollution is down during COVID-19, the fact that the current federal administration is rolling back much environmental regulation (during the pandemic nonetheless) means that air pollution will be a long-term contributor to heat health emergencies in the years to come.
Another thing that stood out to me was the consequences of not having protective community amenities this summer -- like libraries and cooling centers, which are typically available, but also the lack of outdoor public spaces to get cool. The authors criticized Kenney’s administration for opening up streets, to allow children more room to play; but they point out that, in many of the neighborhoods where more space is needed, asphalt streets are going to be the highest places to be.
The other example the authors’ gave related the absence of pools and cooling centers. People are using unofficial swimming areas in streams and rivers, which are often harmful to health because they’re not regulated for human use.
Perhaps the thing that most stood out to me, however, was that the authors’ suggested that “energy efficient and well-maintained homes” were the “last defense” against extreme heat. They explain why it's so difficult for Black and low-income households to make needed home repairs, citing legacy redlining and disparities in loan programs. This is why I think ECA is really doing it right, and we need more organizations like ECA who can address the problems with maintenance and energy inefficiency.
Russell Zerbo and Christina D. Rosen, 7 July 2020, "Philly's Hot Weather Health Crisis", contributed by Alison Kenner, Disaster STS Network, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 7 July 2020, accessed 29 November 2024. http://465538.bc062.asia/content/phillys-hot-weather-health-crisis
Critical Commentary
This article will be discussed at the Energy in COVID-19 group meeting on July 7th.
This article was co-authored by a colleague of mine at the Clean Air Council and draws on some of the content that we used for the Climate Ready Philly project. A number of things stood out to me. Vulnerability or vulnerability populations now catch my attention in a way that it didn’t use to; in part, I now see this as a rather flat definition that lacks substance. But nevertheless, it is pretty standard public health terminology.
One of the things I most appreciated about this article was the way in which it included structural conditions related to city planning and also federal policy in its arguments about heat risks. For example, the lack of tree cover and access to parks in low-income neighborhoods was mentioned a number of times as a factor that increases heat vulnerability. These I think could be categorized as “protective community amenities,” a phrase that the authors also used in the article.
I think noting the relationship between air pollution and heat risk is a good one that I wish more people would make. While the authors’ note that air pollution is down during COVID-19, the fact that the current federal administration is rolling back much environmental regulation (during the pandemic nonetheless) means that air pollution will be a long-term contributor to heat health emergencies in the years to come.
Another thing that stood out to me was the consequences of not having protective community amenities this summer -- like libraries and cooling centers, which are typically available, but also the lack of outdoor public spaces to get cool. The authors criticized Kenney’s administration for opening up streets, to allow children more room to play; but they point out that, in many of the neighborhoods where more space is needed, asphalt streets are going to be the highest places to be.
The other example the authors’ gave related the absence of pools and cooling centers. People are using unofficial swimming areas in streams and rivers, which are often harmful to health because they’re not regulated for human use.
Perhaps the thing that most stood out to me, however, was that the authors’ suggested that “energy efficient and well-maintained homes” were the “last defense” against extreme heat. They explain why it's so difficult for Black and low-income households to make needed home repairs, citing legacy redlining and disparities in loan programs. This is why I think ECA is really doing it right, and we need more organizations like ECA who can address the problems with maintenance and energy inefficiency.