Title: Poorest Americans Bear the Brunt of Extreme Heat as Climate Crisis Intensifies
Subtitle: Lack of Air Conditioning a Matter of Life and Death
DENVER (AP) — As the United States experiences record-breaking heat waves driven by climate change, the nation’s poorest neighborhoods are facing the harshest consequences due to a lack of access to air conditioning. In Denver, 68-year-old Ben Gallegos represents the many Americans living in poverty who cannot afford this essential tool for survival.
Gallegos survives on a monthly income of around $1,000 from Social Security and, like millions of others with limited financial resources, does not have air conditioning. Instead, he covers his windows with mattress foam to insulate against the heat and sleeps in his concrete basement. Despite his vulnerability to heat-related illnesses, Gallegos simply cannot afford the cost of air conditioning. “Take me about 12 years to save up for something like that,” he stated. “If it’s hard to breathe, I’ll get down to emergency.”
As temperatures continue to rise and heat waves become more frequent and severe, the poorer sections of American society are left defenseless. Recent incidents in Phoenix saw nine individuals lose their lives to the scorching heat because they either lacked functioning air conditioning or had it turned off. A study by Boston University analyzing 115 U.S. metropolitan areas found that it is predominantly the poorest Americans and people of color who face dangerous heat without the necessary means to protect themselves.
Cate Mingoya-LaFortune of environmental justice organization Groundwork USA emphasized the severe consequences of this disparity, stating, “There are these really big consequences like death…But there’s also ambient misery.” Limited coping mechanisms such as using window units or seeking refuge in libraries only offer temporary relief, inadequately addressing the heat-related challenges faced by marginalized communities.
While the federal government has allocated significant funds to subsidize utility costs and the installation of cooling systems, the support provided often falls short for the most vulnerable families. Upfront costs for installing centralized cooling systems can reach up to $25,000, posing a significant barrier. President Joe Biden has recently announced measures to address extreme heat, including the expansion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which aims to help poorer households pay utility bills. However, experts argue that these initiatives still reach only a fraction of those in need.
Furthermore, the cost of cooling continues to rise in tandem with increasing temperatures, creating an additional burden for low-income households. America’s disadvantaged neighborhoods, such as Gallegos’ suburb of Globeville in Denver, suffer from surface temperatures as much as 8 degrees higher than wealthier areas with more vegetation that provides natural cooling. A study conducted by the University of San Diego illustrates that poverty-stricken regions with significant Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations experience significantly higher temperatures.
To address these pressing issues, innovative solutions are required. It is crucial to implement policies that prioritize equitable access to air conditioning and promote energy-efficient cooling systems for low-income households. Additionally, legislation mandating landlords to provide air conditioning or prohibiting blanket bans on cooling units should be adopted more widely.
As the climate crisis deepens, urgent action is necessary to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are equipped with the tools they need to survive and thrive in the face of extreme heat.