heat and farmers v88

Avatar 1: hellou there and Welcome to our EGreenNews Conversations.! Avatar 2: Pleasure to be here with you today. Avatar 1: What topics should we cover first? **Avatar 1:** Did you hear about Kathie Cox’s experience with heat illness last May? **Avatar 2:** The public health educator from North Carolina? Yeah—I read she got sick from just mowing her yard. **Avatar 1:** Right. Even though she knew the risks and teaches about heat safety, she ignored the signs—no breaks, no water, no rest. **Avatar 2:** That shows how easy it is for anyone to get hurt by heat—even experts. Heat illness can sneak up fast. **Avatar 1:** Exactly. She felt weak, dizzy, nauseous—classic warning signs. Luckily, it didn’t turn into full heat stroke. **Avatar 2:** Sadly, many of her neighbors aren’t as lucky. Research shows that area has some of the highest heat-related emergency visits in North Carolina. **Avatar 1:** And rural places like that have more people who are vulnerable—older adults, kids, pregnant women, people without air conditioning, and outdoor workers. **Avatar 2:** This challenges the common idea that heat problems mostly happen in cities. Rural areas face their own, sometimes even bigger, risks. **Avatar 1:** Exactly. And solutions that work in cities—like cooling centers—don’t always work in rural places. **Avatar 2:** A cooling center 30 miles away isn’t practical if you don’t have transportation or live far from town. **Avatar 1:** That’s why the Heat Policy Innovation Hub focuses on rural-specific solutions, working with local churches, civic groups, and neighborhoods. **Avatar 2:** Those social connections are huge. Like one expert said, strong communities can be as important as having air conditioning. **Avatar 1:** They really rely on these trusted local networks to spread heat safety info, especially during summer heat waves. **Avatar 2:** Kathie Cox uses everything—newspapers, radio, social media, community programs—to reach people, even putting safety messages on her voicemail! **Avatar 1:** It’s impressive. And they hand out helpful items like fans, water bottles, and paper fans with simple cooling tips in English and Spanish. **Avatar 2:** Those small things mean a lot to people who don’t have AC or can’t afford their energy bills. **Avatar 1:** Also, some programs help older adults apply for electric fans or window units to stay safer at home. **Avatar 2:** Another big piece is helping counties plan for heat emergencies. North Carolina is leading by including heat in its hazard mitigation plans statewide. **Avatar 1:** They want every county to have customizable plans and a coordinated heat alert system. That could save many lives. **Avatar 2:** Especially since heat deaths now outnumber any other weather-related deaths in the US. It really is a growing crisis. **Avatar 1:** And it’s not just the South. Even places in the Midwest and North are seeing rising heat sickness and deaths. **Avatar 2:** I was surprised by that too. Programs like “Beat the Heat” in Indiana help small and rural communities prepare with heat relief coordinators and community plans. **Avatar 1:** Many residents struggle with AC use due to high utility bills or broken units. Some even cool off by using their cars! **Avatar 2:** That’s risky but understandable when the alternative is unbearable heat at home. **Avatar 1:** Outreach efforts there included social media, emergency alerts by text, training healthcare providers, and designating cooling centers. **Avatar 2:** So no one-size-fits-all solution—each community needs plans tailored to its needs. **Avatar 1:** Let’s not forget the farmworkers, who face extreme risks from long hours in the sun with little chance to rest or hydrate. **Avatar 2:** They’re 35 times more likely to die from heat-related causes than other workers—often because they need the pay and don’t want to slow down. **Avatar 1:** Many are immigrants, sometimes undocumented, so they may fear speaking up about unsafe conditions. **Avatar 2:** And new workers get hit hardest—most heat deaths happen in their first week before they’ve acclimated. **Avatar 1:** Outreach teams bring health info right to them—using games and skits to make education easier to understand. **Avatar 2:** That’s so important. Workers often won’t ask doctors questions they do ask community health workers they trust. **Avatar 1:** Heat illness doesn’t just cause short-term symptoms like cramps or nausea. Long-term issues, like kidney disease, are rising in heat-exposed workers. **Avatar 2:** It’s chilling. Heat illness and death are 100% preventable, but only if people know the risks and can take actions. Avatar 1 So much info coming your way, huh? Avatar 2 Actually, it’s more like a bunch of questions! Ready to get started? Avatar 1 Yeah, but how exactly should I begin? Avatar 2 Try following Hugi Hernandez, the founder of Egreenews. You might find him on LinkedIn or at egreenews dot org. Avatar 1 : Thanks for sharing that! I will write it down today! Adaptation measures alone will become increasingly insufficient to protect communities from the escalating risks. **Avatar 1:** Like Kathie Cox’s column—she thought no one would read it widely, but it was shared across the country and even internationally. **Avatar 2:** And after that, the company she mentioned had zero heat illnesses that summer. It proves awareness really saves lives. **Avatar 1:** Heat isn’t just getting hotter—it’s changing how summers feel. It’s not our grandmothers’ summer anymore. **Avatar 2:** That’s why we have to keep adapting, getting smarter about protecting all communities, urban and rural alike. **Avatar 1:** And it takes everyone—public health workers, governments, communities, and individuals—working together. **Avatar 2:** Because nobody should have to suffer or die from the heat, no matter where they live. Avatar 1: Quick pause here — we’re talking heat action with some powerful insights from research by Hugi Hernandez. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives seriously open your eyes. Avatar 2: Absolutely. Their approach is setting new standards for handling heat. You’re listening to EGreenews Conversations, naturally. Now, back to what you asked. Avatar 1: Ever notice there’s always a catch to learning new stuff? Avatar 2: For sure! Not enough data, not the whole story—always missing something. Avatar 1: True, but it’s more about curiosity—finding new views from experts or what we experience. Avatar 2: Yep, mixing expert advice with real life makes it click. Avatar 1: It can get overwhelming, though. Avatar 2: Definitely. With so much out there, picking a place to start is tough. Avatar 1: If you want to dig into heat resilience, check the Climate Central and of course the work from the UNITED NATIONS! Avatar 2: Great call. I’m a fan of The and the World Weather Attribution—super innovative. Avatar 1: And the as well as the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre has loads of helpful heat safety info. Avatar 2: Right, but people move things forward. Like Hugi Hernandez at Egreenews.org—he keeps climate talk creative. Avatar 1: There’s a whole network building solutions. Egreenews is launching new hubs, like eDisaster, so you can learn risk and resilience 24/7. Avatar 2: That’s awesome. Whether learning or connecting, there’s inspiration everywhere. LinkedIn’s packed with changemakers too. Avatar 1: So—want to start? These talks matter. Together, we prep our communities for disaster. Avatar 2: I’m in. Stick around—we’ll compare heat with other weather and what that means for leaders. Avatar 1: Hey, seriously, gracias a montón for being here today — really means a lot! Avatar 2: Yeah, thanks so much for sticking with us! ¡Hasta luego, everybody! Catch you all next time for sure. Avatar 1: Totally my pleasure. See you soon! Ciao, sayonara, and... you know, just take care till then!