Fight for environmental protections.

Understandably, the general American public is confused, disinterested, and polarized on the climate crisis. Climate change, said to be the biggest crisis of our lifetime by scientists, is rarely presented as fact, but rather an issue for debate. It is also seldom presented as a social and racial justice issue. However, communities of color bear the weight of the crisis with significant health issues, limited food supply, and contaminated water (Green America).

It's Friday! And we're rounding out this week's content with a call for environmental protections, written by Renée. This was a hot topic in the third U.S. Presidential debate last night, the first time the topic of environmental justice was discussed directly. And each candidate had different views on the subject.

Tomorrow is Study Hall, our weekly Q+A. I've had a ton of questions this week but send in yours anyway; we've got quite a growing list in the works and I hope to whittle them all down soon.

Thank you for supporting this newsletter. If you'd like, you can give one time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). Or, subscribe monthly or annually on Patreon. I really appreciate it.

Nicole

TAKE ACTION

Follow and learn from Black environmental journalists like Talia Buford, Justin Worland, and Brenton Mock.
Look around your community/neighborhood. Where do you see an influx of coal plants, factories, or refineries? Before reading, did you ever question why low-income areas or Black communities had more pollutant producers? If not, why not?
How do you (or will you) advocate for environmental protections for communities of color?
Review how the Presidential candidates stand on the environment and global warming.

GET EDUCATED

By Renée Cherez (she/her)

If the first presidential debate was any indication of how the current administration is tackling climate change --then we’d better get ready for what’s to come. With only eleven minutes spent on the global issue, it was the first time a moderator presented the climate crisis on a presidential debate stage in twenty years (The Guardian).

The American south is not new to fighting for environmental justice. As a reaction to discriminatory environmental practices, including toxic dumping that negatively affects communities of color, the environmental justice movement was born (AVoice). Coined by Dr. Benjamin Chavis in 1982, “environmental racism” was born after an electrical transformers manufacturer emptied tons of cancer-causing PCB waste along 240-miles of North Carolina highways (The Guardian).

When the time came for cleaning the waste, the North Carolina government chose the predominantly Black town of Warren, North Carolina, to become home to a toxic waste facility (The Guardian). Decades later, Black and Brown communities are still home to deadly pollutants. Polluters actively seek low-income areas to dump their waste and often decide based on race rather than class (Green America). Multi-millionaires at the fossil fuel industry’s helm and politicians who hold their interests earn millions of dollars while marginalized communities are poisoned with pollutants.

Fenceline communities-- communities located closest to oil and natural gas refineries are disproportionately African-American (ColorLines). A joint report by the NAACP, Clean Air Task Force (CATF), and the National Medical Association (NMA) found that nearly 7 million African Americans live near oil refineries and pollution operations, causing 9 million tons of pollutants emitted annually. These emissions are responsible for 138,000 asthma attacks a year for school-aged children (CATF).

These communities are composed of predominantly low-income people of color. Consequently, African-Americans are 75% more likely to live in fence-line communities and are exposed to 38% more polluted air than white Americans (CATF). Also increasing: the number of African-Americans who live within a half-mile of an existing natural gas facility. With over one million residents and counting, we can expect exposure to toxic air emissions will likely turn to cancer risks for many African-Americans in these communities (CATF).

"Racism is “inexorably” linked to climate change...because it dictates who benefits from activities that produce planet-warming gases and who suffers most from the consequences.”
Penn State meteorologist Gregory Jenkins, via Washington Post.

African Americans make up 14 percent of the U.S. population, yet 68% live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant compared to 56% of white people (Green America). Latinos make up 17% of the U.S. population, but 39% live within a 30-mile radius from a coal plant. Native lands have been stolen and are home to coal reserves resulting in tribes across North America experiencing the toxic effects from plants and coal mines (Green America).

Over the last four years, we’ve seen significant environmental protections put in place to protect our right to clean air and water stripped by the current administration. Since his 2017 inauguration, Trump has rolled back 100 of the most major climate and environmental protections (NYT). Perhaps the most significant to African American communities is his deregulation of methane emissions (CATF). Methane, the leading cause of climate change, is a greenhouse gas that traps 86 times more heat than carbon dioxide, which accelerates global warming (ACS). The Trump administration has canceled an Obama-era policy that required oil and gas companies to report their emissions, making it easier to pollute Black and Brown communities (EPA).

When we think about places like Flint, Michigan, Newark, New Jersey, and Standing Rock, they are perfect examples of BIPOC reaping the dire benefits of environmental racism, even in a pandemic (Vox).

An Obama-era clean water regulation that curbed the amount of pollution and chemicals in the country’s rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands was also repealed by the Trump administration (CNBC). The goal: to protect 60% of the country’s water from contamination, but with it repealed, polluters can discharge toxic substances into waterways without a permit, which harms sources of safe drinking water and habitats for wildlife (CNBC).

Last month, federal judges pushed back against Trump’s fossil fuel agenda, citing they downplayed potential environmental damage in lawsuits over oil and gas leases, coal mining, and pipelines to transport fuels across the country (AP News).

As one of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, America's choice to use fossil fuels over cleaner and healthier energy disproportionately affect communities of color. As these communities continue to fight for environmental protections, white people and those with privilege must challenge their local and state officials about new pipelines, plants, and refineries in communities of color. These communities have been fighting for the most basic needs – clean air and water –for decades, and it’s time for the privileged to join their fight.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Fenceline communities – communities located closest to oil and natural gas refineries – are disproportionately African-American.
The Trump administration has rolled back 100 of the most major climate and environmental protections.
68% of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant.

RELATED ISSUES

10/11/2020 | Support climate justice.

9/29/2020 | Learn about climate migration.

7/25/2020 | Study Hall! How to be a better ally, petitions, and plastics.

7/24/2020 | Reduce your plastic consumption.

7/12/2020 | Learn how air pollution exacerbates COVID-19.

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Nicole Cardoza 8/2/20 Nicole Cardoza 8/2/20

Protect those vulnerable to extreme heat during COVID-19.

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Happy Sunday!

During the hot summers growing up, my mom would sequester the whole family into the one room in the house that had an A/C. We'd hang sheets in the doorways to keep the air trapped in and play video games all day. I remember the wall of stifling air that I'd face when I'd pull back the curtain to run to the bathroom, always surprised by how hot it could get in our hometown. Now, I appreciate her ingenuity of keeping us cool.

Today's daily newsletter looks at the relationship between extreme heat and COVID-19, a new and formidable opponent in our global fight against the devastating impact of this disease.

Thank you to all that give to support this newsletter. You can give one-time on our website, PayPal or Venmo (@nicoleacardoza). Or, pledge $5/month on Patreon to help us stay sustainable for the months ahead.

Nicole

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TAKE ACTION

Research to see whether your state has implemented and/or extended mandatory moratorium on utility shutoffs. If they have not, contact your state governor.

Find a local non-profit organization that offers financial assistance for paying energy bills. Share their work with your community by posting on social media.

GET EDUCATED

By Nicole Cardoza

July was a particularly rough month for America’s battle with COVID-19. With over 150,000 reported deaths, most states are seeing either a second surge or sustained first surge since March. 42% of all known cases in the U.S. were reported in July alone, and as states grapple with the ended of increased unemployment, moratoriums on rent and utilities, and the difficult decision of back-to-school, another silent factor is driving the spread and severity of COVID-19: extreme heat (NYTimes).

It might not garner the same level of attention as other natural disasters, but extreme heat is one of the most deadly types of weather-related events in the US, killing an average of 702 people each year. The CDC reports that extreme heat kills more than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes on average each year (excluding major natural disasters they cause). When people become overheated for extended periods of time, their bodies may lose the capacity to cool itself down. This leads to spikes in body temperature that can damage the brain and other organs (CNN).

Extreme heat is getting more extreme here on Earth. Since the Industrial Revolution nearly 200 years ago, the global average temperatures have risen by nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit (UCSUSA). A new study on global warming indicates that, due to the reckless pace of human-caused carbon emissions, global temperatures could increase by 4.1 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit over the next five decades (Washington Post). And recent reports of unprecedented heat from Siberia to Antarctica (Washington Post), Britain (The Financial Times), and the Middle East (NYTimes) proves that the heat is here to stay.

This is a problem for everyone, but particularly communities of color, who are more likely to live in U.S. counties threatened by extreme heat (UCSUSA). The neighborhoods where they live are often concrete-heavy, dense urban areas with few pockets of greenery. These spaces, referred to as “heat islands” in a recent comprehensive study, can have temperatures as much as 22 degrees higher than their surroundings (Pew Trust). These spaces don’t just exacerbate heart, lung, and kidney disease – health conditions people in these communities are more likely to be afflicted with. They exacerbate the impact of air pollution, another critical topic we’ve analyzed in our COVID-19 newsletter series. And people of color have been corralled in these heat islands for generations because of historical practices of redlining, segregating non-white people into limited and inadequate spaces (Pew Trust). The elderly, already susceptible to the virus, are the most impacted by these disparities.

If Americans stay home, they might be able to beat the heat. A Citylab study from 2015 found that nearly 90 percent of American households have air conditioning of some sort (Bloomberg). These numbers drop slightly based on the age of the home itself; newer residential spaces are more likely to have central air, for example, and older buildings may have a window unit. And even for lower-income communities the number only drops to 75% of households with A/C (Bloomberg).

But lower-income communities, in particular, are struggling to make ends meet, and rising energy costs are a hefty addition to the budget. Estimates indicate that running an A/C all day can cost approximately $12/day, adding $370 to a monthly bill. I used the calculator to estimate my cooling costs for the year, including equipment, in a small space in Brooklyn, NY, and got a range of $3,600 - $5,600 (hvac.com). Millions of people are already behind on paying their power bills since COVID-19 started, so adding hundreds of dollars for lowering the temperature indoors might be impossible (NPR). And because most families are spending more time at home than they would have before COVID-19, they’re facing increased costs in power regardless if they’re running the A/C or not (NPR)

To counter this issue, many states implemented power shut-off moratoriums earlier this year – alongside eviction moratoriums and other initiatives to protect financially-strapped communities. But most of these power-shut off moratoriums were set to expire July 15 or August 1. Some states have extended, but 17 states – including Georgia, Florida, and Arizona – have no official moratorium in place at all, although some power service providers have created moratoriums of their own (NEADA). As extra unemployment benefits end, analysts fear we may be approaching a “tidal wave” of power shutoffs in the midst of this extreme heat (NPR).

So these communities would spend time elsewhere – gathering at the local library or mall, hanging with friends, or frequenting coffee shops or restaurants. In some places, these spaces are closed altogether. But most cities have tried to keep them open to offer respite from the heat. These spaces, often referred to as “cooling centers,” may be a risky place to visit. New reports indicate that airborne transmission “plays a major role” in spreading the virus. Infected droplets can take about 30 minutes to sink from the mouth of an adult of average height to the floor (NYTimes).

To counter airborne viruses, ventilation is key. But ventilation is tricky in common residential or commercial spaces focused on keeping precious cool air in. Simple A/C and HVAC units may accelerate the spread of the virus by constantly circulating the infected air around a room. Benjamin Cowling, the head of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Hong Kong School of Public Health, studied a case of infections at a restaurant in Guangzhou where an asymptomatic COVID-19 patient infected nine other people. The people infected were at other tables and never came into contact with the patient. But each sat in the direct line of the air conditioner, which was blowing air from one end of the restaurant to the other (The Atlantic).

Solving ventilation problems can be relatively easy – locations can upgraded filters in their HVAC systems, or use portable HEPA filters to catch airborne particles as they circulate (The Atlantic). The CDC has offered an additional list of precautions for “cooling centers” to protect others, including buying PPE for guest use, cleaning frequently, maintaining social distance, and raising awareness. And as temperatures lower across the country, it will be easier for locations to open windows to encourage fresh air. But closed and cool spaces can still be dangerous, and may themselves be impacted by the growing burdens of power costs.

Extreme heat isn’t just a public health issue. It’s a key part of the disparities that make racism a public health crisis. August tends to be a hot, if not hotter, month across the country so we can expect the burden of extreme heat and its intersection on COVID-19 to persist. We’ll see the same disparities come into play in the winter, when it’s warmth – not cooling – that’s costly and difficult to navigate with ventilation. We must rally for the people in our communities most impacted by the fluctuations in temperatures in the months ahead.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Extreme temperatures exacerbate the impact of pre-existing conditions that influence the severity of COVID-19
Communities of color are more likely to be impacted by extreme temperatures
Inadequate ventilation can increase exposure to COVID-19
Energy costs can make it more difficult for lower-income communities to stay cool