Thermal justice: New report examines threat of extreme heat, suggests culturally informed policies‎

Extreme heat kills more people in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. But how can we address a seemingly natural force? Heat can often seem solely weather-related, with policies trying to find a solution through temperature metrics, cooling technologies, and alerts. However, a new report from the Vanderbilt Cultural Contexts of Health and Wellbeing Initiative (VU-CCH) suggests that extreme heat is not just a climate issue, but also a social one.