Editor’s Letter: Looking Out for Each Other During Heatwaves

In today’s climate, we are all being affected by extreme weather temperatures. When temperatures climb into high 90 – 100+ degrees, it massively affects people in life altering ways. For many, the challenge of keeping cool affects our sense of normalcy and our physical health. Extreme temperatures can impact children playing outdoors exposing them to sunstroke, sunburn, and heat exhaustion. Construction workers face similar challenges while trying to finish an already physically demanding job. Our seniors who often live alone with no AC are at the greatest risk.

The issue of extreme heat has become much more personal than in previous years. The more we have to use our air conditioners, the more that electric bill keeps getting more expensive. Our houses weren’t build with these extreme conditions in mind and that has made air conditioning demands sky rocket. And often times are met with shortages as more and more people seek relief from the heat. We need practical preparation for these types of scenarios. While the climate crisis is a global event, we as a community, still have the power to make real sustainable changes.

Preparation isn’t something we do “someday”, but it’s something we need to do together, today. That’s why we chose Surviving the Climate Crisis as this month’s theme. Many people are already experiencing the effects of a changing climate in their everyday lives. The purpose of this issue is to share information, resources, and ideas that can help us respond to the challenges in front of us.

TAKE THE TIME TO NOTICE WHO AROUND YOU MAY NEED SUPPORT

As you read through these articles, you’ll find stories about people adapting, organizations working to support their communities, and practical ideas that can help during extreme weather. We hope this information will help you prepare your own home and connect you with resources you didn’t know existed. Resilience often begins in ordinary moments when someone checks on a neighbor during these dangerous heatwave events. It means so much when you take the time to notice who around you may need support. You could literally save a life. Those moments rarely make headlines until after the fact, but they are part of what holds communities together.

The word forge has always carried meaning beyond a place where something is made. A forge uses heat to shape and strengthen materials. The challenges we face can shape us, too. We may not be able to control every challenge that arrives, but we can choose how we meet them. Looking out for one another has always been part of building stronger communities. Think about your own neighborhood. Who might need a little extra support during extreme heat? What knowledge or resources could you share? Do you have extra fans you can donate? What small action could make someone’s day easier?

The climate may be changing, but our ability to care for one another remains. Check on your neighbors and stay cool this summer. We will always be stronger together.