Whos More at Risk?

Effects of Air Pollution, High Temperatures, and Extreme Weather

Workers

In the United States there's an array of workers that face climate-related hazards that threaten their health. The field of workers most at risk would be construction workers, manufacturing workers, or emergency response workers. Some of the climate hazards lead to Heat Illnesses, Respiratory Illnesses, and Physical/ Mental Health effects. With extreme heat temperatures rising many construction sites must take extra precautions to guarantee safety for all workers. In a news article Construction Dive they collected a quote from Peter Tateishi the CEO of the Associated General Contractors of California commenting about safety on sites with these extreme temperatures "We have a responsibility as construction to be part of the response and resiliency factor for all kinds of crises," Tateishi said. For example, "we've been adaptive in how we keep our people safe in high-heat incidents" and in managing valley fever, an infection caused by a fungus in dry soil, on job sites. As the climate worsens the severity of these hazards increases and will soon affect everyday people as well.

Low Income Families

While climate change affects every country and continent it doesn't do it equally. People specifically facing poverty and oppression are often dealt the worst hand of climate change. The struggle to earn a simple living, feed their families, and provide a roof over their families' heads no matter if it's a two-parent or one-parent household is a hardship many families face in today's world. With the weather growing more and more intense such as wildfires, tornadoes, droughts, and hurricanes it is becoming harder for families to upkeep the life they are already working to stabilize. These extreme storms only leave behind environments that are inadequate to how they were before the

storm, which only makes the living situation for these struggling families harder than they were before. Hurricane Katrina remains to be one of the most devastating storms to hit the United States. The storm caused many families to be displaced from their homes and loved ones. Climate change will continue to regenerate storms as strong or stronger than Hurricane Katrina. A publication from PD&R an online magazine states the damaging statistics of the destruction hurricane Katrina caused. More than 1 million homes were damaged across 5 states, 1 million residents were displaced and 3 million residents registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance. It is evident that as a society we educate ourselves and take immediate actions to help prevent another disaster from happening.

increasingly worse is only opening up a future of kids staying indoors and losing their want to explore and learn from places other than the comfort of their homes.

Children

Many climate hazards threaten the health of children in the United States. Climate change is currently increasing outdoor air pollution mainly coming from droughts, factories, and wildfire smoke. With the danger of these harmful particles such as methane and carbon dioxide making their way through the air they start to become associated with an increase of respiratory Illnesses such as asthma and harmful conditions to a child. Along with the pollution crisis comes the higher outdoor temperature, these alarming spikes in temperature can lead to children only being able to play indoors and leaving them with a life excluded from nature and the world around them. Its important to look to the future as well, current and future generations have a strong possibility of living in a world where the indoors is the only place they can live without being put in danger, the air quality getting

Older Adults

Climate change continues to increase air pollution, such as ground-level ozone and particle matters that emerge from droughts and wildfire smoke. With older adults air pollution can have more affecting effects on their bodies. Air pollution increases the risks of har attacks especially those in the diabetic and overweight categories, conditions such as asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). The possible exposure to ground-level ozone can be harmful to lung functioning, which will impact you or a loved one. Even older adults in their 70s and 60s are realizing that its never too late to change old habits, in a article by USA Today a 66 year old native from Iowa City stated " I was amazed at how my head has been in the sand. This stuff has been going on for 20, 30 years" even going onto say "it's been good for me to realize you can change, even in old age!". It's important to realize it only takes a second to change a daily habit that could be worsening the climate around them.

People Living in Floodplains

With warmer temperatures, more water starts to evaporate from the land and oceans. The noticeable changes in the size and prevalence of heavy precipitation events turn in affect the size and frequency of river flooding. Illinois is one of many states that have a significant increase in flooding events. Large flood events can damage or even wipe out farmers' crops; and harm or displace people from their homes. By overwhelming water treatment systems with sediment and contaminants, and promoting the growth of harmful microbes, floods can directly affect the water supplies that many communities depend on. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), floods and storms can knock down power lines. Even when flood water levels appear to have subsided, electrical currents can travel through any remaining water for more than 100 yards. Its important to know and educate yourself on your geography and earn if you live near one, and if you do it's time to understand how this impacts you.

This isn't to Strike Fear...

The purpose of the "Who's More at Risk" sections isn't to create panic but to create a sense of awareness. To merely open a more understandable platform of information for people to read information about climate change affects them, a loved one, or someone they know without even realizing it. Seeing climate change in a large spectrum can cause unintentional negligence because the most common opinion is " this doesn't effect my life", however when you put climate change into a smaller spectrum and truly focus on the individual impacts it has on people's daily lives that they might not be aware of really develops a common understanding of the true effects of climate change. Everyone should want to do their part in making the Earth a healthier space for themselves and for future generations to come.