Untitled Flashcards Set

What is thermal inequality?

Unequal distribution of the negative effects of heat.

What is the definition of climate?

What we expect; long term weather patterns in a region.

What is weather?

What we experience.

What does dry-bulb temperature refer to?

Ambient air temperature.

What is relative humidity?

Ratio of how much water vapor is in the air to how much would be required to fully saturate the air.

What does wet-bulb temperature combine?

Air temperature and relative humidity in the sun.

What is the heat index?

Combines air temperature and relative humidity in shaded areas; represents the 'feels like' temperature.

What is wet-bulb globe temperature?

Includes temperature, humidity, wind speed, angle of the sun, and cloud cover; developed by the military.

What is thermoregulation?

The process to keep the body's temperature within limits regardless of external conditions.

What does homeostasis refer to?

Stability maintained by an organism for optimal functioning.

What is heat stress?

Total heat load body has to manage to maintain homeostasis.

What is heat strain?

Physiological response caused by heat stress.

What is heat tolerance?

Capacity to tolerate heat stress without physiological and work failures.

What is heat exhaustion?

Extreme fatigue caused by reaching the limit of thermal tolerance.

What is heat stroke?

Derangement of the central nervous system resulting in delirium, convulsions, or coma.

What is heat acclimatization?

Semi-permanent adaptations to heat.

What does thermoplasticity mean?

Capacity of the thermoregulation system to adjust.

What is colonialism?

Non-democratic governance of a people and a territory by an external power.

What is the urban heat island effect?

Relative warmth of a city compared to its surrounding non-urban/rural area.

What is Klinenberg’s social autopsy?

Focused on social causes of death versus biological or climatological.

What is structural violence?

Historical marginalization of communities of color.

What does redlining refer to?

Determining certain areas are too risky for investment.

What is a microclimate?

Properties of a location shape its climate.

What is the difference between climate adaptation and mitigation?

Adjusting to the current or future climate versus limiting climate change.

What does albedo measure?

Surface reflectivity, or 'whiteness'.

What is the problem of moral hazard?

Sidesteps causes of climate change.

What are the effects of extreme heat?

Discomfort, illness, injury, cognitive decline, and increased wildfires.

Who is most vulnerable to heat?

Outdoor workers, athletes, babies, and those with preexisting conditions.

How does the body accumulate heat?

Through metabolic heat production and environmental heat absorption.

How does the body get rid of heat?

Via conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation.

What happens if the body can't get rid of excess heat?

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur.

Why does heat matter in social contexts?

Heat's effects can exacerbate existing inequalities and vulnerabilities.

What are some consequences of redlining?

Difficulties in obtaining mortgages, loans, and less home ownership.

What is one legacy of redlining?

Less Black generational wealth and access to healthcare.

Why does shade matter?

It is a public good, contributes to public health, and is unevenly distributed.

What are the consequences of air conditioning?

Increased energy consumption contributes to climate change but protects against extreme heat.

How does extreme heat affect student learning?

Students perform worse on tests for each 5 school days hotter than 80F.

Why do so many carceral facilities lack air conditioning?

Cost and the perception of being 'tough on crime'.

What are alternative solutions to address heat in carceral facilities?

Improved ventilation and reducing overcrowding.

How does governing heat authority appear?

It is fragmented and requires better coordination.

What do we need for effective heat governance?

Heat equity, mitigation strategies, and coordinated initiatives.

Who is Louis Sambon?

Criticized the idea that Europeans could not settle in tropics due to heat.

Who is John Gregory?

Argued against racialized biology theories related to climate.

Who is Eric Klinenberg?

Established the Chicago Heat Wave of 1995 as a social autopsy paradigm.

Why is heat less like natural disasters?

It is more chronic, less visible, and impacts health more than property.

What contributes to the urban heat island effect?

Urban morphology and anthropogenic heating.

What are limits of the urban heat island concept?

Some rural areas can be hotter than nearby cities.