low income
Newsletter
Poverty greatly increases risk of death during heat waves
A new study reveals that low-income individuals in British Columbia are more than twice as likely to die during extreme heat events due to lack of resources and pre-existing health conditions.
In short:
- Research from the BC Centre for Disease Control shows people on income assistance are 2.5 times more likely to die in heat waves, compounded by health issues like schizophrenia and COPD.
- During the 2021 heat dome, temperatures soared to record highs, highlighting that chronic diseases combined with poverty increased mortality rates.
- To mitigate risks, British Columbia has distributed 15,000 free air conditioners to low-income households, aiming to distribute 28,000 units total.
Key quote:
“No one is at risk from extreme heat if they have safe indoor temperatures.”
— Sarah Henderson, scientific director, BC Centre for Disease Control
Why this matters:
Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Addressing this issue requires targeted policies to ensure safe living conditions and reduce health disparities in low-income communities.
Related:
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Newsletter
Biden announces $7 billion for solar energy in low-income communities
President Biden's new initiative allocates $7 billion to support solar energy in underprivileged areas, aiming to reduce energy costs and emissions.
In short:
- The Solar for All program will fund solar and battery installations in low-income neighborhoods, benefiting approximately 900,000 households.
- Funding will be managed by state, municipal and tribal governments along with nonprofits, with implementation slated for the summer.
- The initiative will help achieve the administration's clean energy goals and reduce energy expenses for families by an average of $400 annually.
Key quote:
“Low income families can spend up to 30 percent of their paychecks on their energy bills. It’s outrageous.”
— U.S. President Joe Biden.
Why this matters:
As President Biden noted, many low-income families spend a significant portion of their income on utility bills. Solar energy can drastically reduce these costs, easing financial burdens and increasing disposable income for other essential needs.
Black, Indigenous and people of color and low-income communities bear the brunt of climate change's negative impacts but renewable energy technologies like solar cells primarily benefit wealthy and predominantly white communities.
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Photo by ADIGUN AMPA on Unsplash
Judge limits EPA regs in La. minority, low-income areas
A federal judge in Lake Charles has at least temporarily blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing so-called "disparate impact" rules in Louisiana that require industries to reduce toxic pollutants in minority and low-income areas, such as the so-called "Cancer Alley" region along the Mississippi River.
Opinion
Image by thank you for đź’™ from Pixabay
Rachel Samson: Climate policy that doesn’t make life unaffordable
The ongoing affordability crisis has brought into sharp focus the need for fairness and justice when it comes to the economic and societal transformations that will be required to achieve climate goals.
Newsletter
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One year after Ian, this Florida motel serves as a hurricane safety net
One year after Hurricane Ian, many displaced victims are still without homes, some stuck in makeshift lodgings, such as the El Rancho Motel.
Big Stock Photo
Climate change causes another issue: An increased need for air conditioners
As the climate changes, places where home air conditioning used to be rare are now seeing a need for artificial cooling. It's a new expense that's especially hard for people in low-income housing.
Newsletter
Big Stock Photo
States withhold cooling aid for the poor as heat gets deadlier
More than 30 million low-income households that are eligible for federal funding to defray the cost of air conditioning have not received any money from a government program that was created to protect vulnerable people from dangerous temperatures, an E&E News analysis shows.
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