Key Numbers from Ethnographic Interviews

Questions and Responses

Our student interviewees were asked how they thought climate change induced heat waves can impact health.

• Majority of students could not think of specific negative impacts of climate change on health
• Most responses related to either droughts or wildfires
• Three students could think of no ways in which health could be impacted by climate change induced heat waves

Students were then asked who's health they believed to be impacted by climate change induced heat waves.

• Students gave answers suggesting rural areas and developing were the only ones feeling negative health imacts from climate change induced heat waves
• Not a single student mentioned the health of people living in urban environments

"When I think about climate change I picture urban areas and cities as being the cause and rural areas feeling more of the effects" -Amy (PNB Major, Pre-med)

"Health? When I think about climate change, I usually don't think about health. If you said pollution, I would think more about health" -Ness (Philosophy Major)

After being presented with information on urban heat islands and the impacts on health of climate change induced heat waves in cities student's initial reactions were gauged.

• All students showed some form of shock in response to the maps shown to them
• After initial shock, most students noted that the information made sense but they had never thought about health or climate change in this way
• All students reported that they were not aware of this issue in urban environments

“I had no idea what an urban heat island was or that people's health was being impacted until you introduced it to me, and I don't think I would have known if you never told me because no one talks about it” -Bija (Elementary Education Major)

Lastly, students were asked why they thought they were unaware of this issue.

• Students responded by saying this information on health and climate change with respect to urban heat islands is not represented in the media
• A few students stated that they believed that not many people cared about issues involving climate change so it was never brought to their attention
• The idea also felt too abstract for multiple students to recognize as a real issue

“I mean I’ve never thought about it [climate change] before, it's not something I would have ever considered would impact my health personally or people that live close to me... To a lot of people climate change seems abstract on an individual day to day level” -George (Political science major)