We all complain about the heat, yet it's a climate threat we routinely underestimate. In the U.S., extreme heat kills more people each year than floods, fires and hurricanes combined. About 16,000 excess deaths were recorded during Europe's June heatwave – a striking and tragic number. What does extreme heat do to our bodies, our wallets and our cities, and what can we actually do about it?
From creating insurance programs that pay out before the disaster to protecting workers who labor in the heat, many people are working on solutions. Cities are finding ways to prepare for temperatures they historically have never experienced. Plus, we hear about one woman’s “Grammy Ride” for the climate: a 3,000 mile bike journey raising climate awareness and funds for climate action.
Guests:
Donna Minter, Former forensic and neuropsychologist
Kathy Baughman McLeod, Founder and CEO of HERA
Juanita Constible, Senior Advocate, NRDC
00:00 - Introduction
03:14 - Donna Minter on coming up with the idea for the “Grammy Ride”
05:21 - Donna Minter on how friends and family reacted
11:54 - Donna Minter on reflecting on her faith
15:15 - Donna Minter on her Texas stay
21:50 - Kathy Baughman McLeod on what extreme heat does to the body
28:34 - Kathy Baughman McLeod on the effect of naming heatwaves
30:57 - Kathy Baughman McLeod on the first heat related insurance for pregnancies
38:16 - Kathy Baughman McLeod on a heat policy success story
43:21 - Juanita Constible on what it takes to keep workers safe
46:34 - Juanita Constible on where worker heat deaths happen
52:49 - Juanita Constible on OSHA heat protections
57:47 - Juanita Constible on state adoption of heat protections
For show notes, transcripts, and related links, visit our episode page at ClimateOne.org
***
Join Climate One for a town hall event on September 28 at 6 p.m. on navigating AI, climate, and the future of democracy. How do we ensure that AI and data centers serve the public good? How does a democracy function when AI is distorting our sense of shared truths? Tickets available at climateone.org/events
***
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.
***
Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
