California’s Rural Communities Initiate Shade Provision Strategy Amid Heat Dangers – Sky Bulletin

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In the small desert town of Oasis, California, Limba Contreras recalls how her family battled with the scorching heat, using water coolers and hoses to find some relief, a strategy that was increasingly ineffective as temperatures regularly soared beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). Having moved to Oasis roughly 50 years ago, Contreras, a retired school librarian, witnessed the discomfort caused by the intense heat, exacerbated by a lack of resources.

Today, Contreras does have air conditioning in her home, but she is acutely aware of the need for shade, especially in playgrounds and public areas, for the community’s children to enjoy outdoor activities safely, even during extreme heat conditions.

In response to these challenges, community leaders, elected officials, and residents like Contreras gathered to unveil a shade equity master plan aimed at providing much-needed shade throughout the Eastern Coachella Valley, an area known for its extreme summer temperatures and predominantly Latino, low-income population. The absence of trees and shelter adds to the risk of heat stress, highlighted by the significant death toll attributed to heat within the Coachella Valley and nationwide.

Research underscores the effectiveness of shade in reducing heat stress by significantly cooling surfaces, a fact recognized in urban areas across the United States where cities like New York and Austin have incorporated greenery in their climate action plans. However, rural communities often remain overlooked in such initiatives.

UCLA Assistant Professor V. Kelly Turner pointed out this gap, noting that rural areas like the Eastern Coachella Valley suffer from neglect reflected in poor infrastructure and living conditions, contributing to the heat burden on its residents.

Through a collaborative effort funded by a grant from the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the input of community members, the shade master plan will seek to bring trees and other cooling structures to the region.

Residents working in agriculture or construction are especially vulnerable to heat, and while there are efforts like this underway, significant logistic and funding challenges remain to implement such projects in less-governed areas like these unincorporated communities.

Committee members and local residents express the urgent need for robust shade provisions, describing the dangers faced daily by both adults working outdoors and children in schools with inadequate shelter from the sun.

Despite these challenges, the natural beauty of the desert and its environment remains a source of pride for residents like Contreras, who advocate for the importance of pragmatic solutions to protect the community from the risks posed by extreme heat conditions.

The Associated Press, supported in part by the Walton Family Foundation for environmental reporting, remains solely responsible for the content of this coverage. Visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment for more environmental news from AP.

As climate change intensifies and extreme heat events become more frequent, rural communities like those in the Eastern Coachella Valley are taking proactive steps to mitigate the dangers associated with high temperatures. The shade equity master plan represents a forward-thinking initiative that addresses environmental inequalities and underscores the vital role of local governance and community engagement in building resilience against climate threats. The collaboration between academic institutions, nonprofits, and community members offers a template for similar rural regions facing the perils of rising temperatures but remains contingent on overcoming challenges related to implementation and sustained funding.

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