Hot climate + cold society = formula for disaster.
A decades-old body of research has established that extreme heat hits low-income neighborhoods and communities of color the hardest. They are disproportionately likely to live in buildings with poor ventilation and surfaces that trap heat. Even those who have air conditioning may be reluctant to use it for fear of a skyrocketing electric bill. People who are elderly and those who have chronic health conditions are most at risk — especially if those conditions are exacerbated by an inability to access treatment. Read the Full Article.