Friday, June 07, 2013

Links

Heat Advisory: Nearly 700 Americans Die During Heat Waves Every Year
From 1999 to 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a yearly average of 658 heat-related deaths occurred in the United States.
95,000 Excess U.S. Deaths during the Cold Months Each Year | Watts Up With That?
The figure below, which is based on data from the US National Center for Health Statistics for 2001-2007, shows that on average 7,200 Americans die each day during the months of December, January, February and March, compared to the average 6,400 who die daily during the rest of the year. On this basis, there were 95,000 “excess” deaths during the 121 days in the cold months (December to March, assuming a non-leap year).
Climate change causing Pentagon planning shift, says DOD strategist - The Hill's E2-Wire
Maintaining funding for such efforts will be difficult, Chiu said.
San Diego Professor Taking Global Warming Fight to the Markets With Campaign of Divesting from Fossil Fuel Stocks
Waayers notes the steady increase in frequency and severity of weather patterns throughout the world, including droughts, which affects crops and thus the food supply.
Heat Waves, As Climate Change Increases, Prove More Deadly For Poor, Minorities
During a two-week heat wave that roasted four states last summer, the CDC report noted the loss of 32 lives to heat-related illnesses. Twenty of the documented victims died in homes without air conditioning.

A lack of air conditioning -- or an inability to afford turning on a unit due to high energy costs -- is just one of the many factors that leave the poor relatively ill-equipped to combat heat.   [I'm confused again--so should we still try to save lives by allegedly preventing hot weather by raising the price of air conditioning?]
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"I would tell people to definitely turn their A/C on, if that is their only option to stay cool and alive," White-Newsome added. "At no point should anyone be dying from heat -- rich or poor, black or white."

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