Week 3: Unequal and Invisible Impacts

Key Takeaways

Contributions by Allison M.

General Feedback on Group Presentations

• Always end with the "so what?"-- why should the person listening to you care about the research?

• Speak clearly and loudly 

• Engage with the audience (ex. by making eye contact)

• Do not read from a script and try not to rely too much on your notes, but if you do use notes, have them on paper if possible

• Be specific with your research question

• Define key terms that are not part of common vocabulary

Urban Collaborative Project focuses on:

• Art and Community Beautification

  • Murals give a neighborhood personality and makes it more inviting to go out

  • Painting rocks decreases the amount of heat getting absorbed in a given area because the colors reflect sunlight more

• Health and Environmental Justice

  • They remove invasive species and teach children about the science of environmental changes

• Social Infrastructure

  • Empty spaces often become illegal dump sites and are prone to floods

  • Moreover, kids may play in them but be at greater risk of getting injured because of nearby reckless driving

• Transportation Infrastructure

  • They hosted a transportation expo where they gave 100 bikes to those who didn't have access to transportaiton

Environmental Justice (EJ)

• EJ is essentially fairness in environmental conditions no matter race, color, status, or wealth

• Dr. Robert Bullard is considered the "Father of Environmental Justice"

• The EJ movement draws from past social movements and is based on certain rights such as the right to breathe clean air

• Young people have often been at the forefront of social movements, including that for EJ

• Communities suffer when we don't acknowledge EJ and climate change

• When we come together, we can accomplish anything

Environmental Racism

• Environmental racism describes racist and discriminatory polices that determine if a comnunity receives health-protective or health-harming infrastructure

• Immigrants, people with limited English proficiency, people who are undocumented, people who are unhoused are most affected

• Redlining is an example of environmental racism and mostly affect Black and Brown people

• The January 2024 floods are another example of environmental racism where people are still recovering from those initial floods and feared another catastrophic event just earlier this year because part of the root cause of the flooding still hasn't been addressed

EJ Mapping Tools

• Climate Vulnerability Map

• San Diego Heat Risk Explorer

Where to go from here?

• Remember that EJ is not a one person battle

• Participate in community spaces by volunteering and making your voice heard

• Acknowledge the strength of community power

• Spend time with loved ones

• Take breaks and breathe 

Announcements

• Check out upcoming volunteer opportunities with UCP 

• UC San Diego “Day in a Life” tour is next Monday at 10 AM. Sign up here

• Upcoming City Heights field trips after class on Tuesday, July 21 and Thursday, July 23

• Check your emails for two to-do items: 1) Quick survey, 2) Docusign consent forms

• RSVP form for research showcase and celebration coming soon!

Key Takeaways

Contributions by Alexa V.

Mental Health and Cognitive Impacts from Environmental Hazards

• Mental health remains under-researched and resources are limited, leaving mental health as an after thought

• Environmental hazards can worsen mental health

• A study foud that 35% of community members had climate mental health trauma including PTSD, depression, and anxiety after a wildfire in California's Paradise region 

• People can become more distracted and experience poorer decision making after surviving environmental hazards

• These impacts can become evident 6 months to a year after a major environmental event and may require treatment

Vulnerable Populations

• Communities with few healthcare resources, higher poverty, fewer doctors, etc. experience significant mental health impacts after an environmental hazard with less ability to recover

  • These communities suffer in the "climate gap" where they are least responsible for climate change but bear the brunt of it

  • Climate justice is recognizing this unequal impact and taking action to mitigate it

• People may be forced to live in remote places that are cheaper but less developed and have less healthcare infrastructure

• Youth have been shown to be especially concerenced about climate change and environmental degradation

Climate Anxiety and How to Address It

• Climate anxiety, eco-anxiety, and climate rage are reasonable responses to the changes we are witnessing in the world

• Anxiety about the state of the climate or environment can spark change-- people who care about the environment are more likely to do something to protect it

• Four personal factors that can help build resilience and facilitate coping are: Personal resilient belief, mindfulness, exercise, positive ties with family and community

• Other ways to build resilience involve connecting with nature (ex. eco-therapy) and caring for the environment (eco-stewardship)

Announcements

• UC San Diego "Day in a Life" Tour this coming Monday. Those who signed up will receive more details via email.

• Upcoming Field Trip: After class on Tuesday, July 21, City Heights Community Resilience Walk led by Sinthya Carranza, San Diego Aquatics District Manager and former City Heights resident

• RSVP form for research showcase and celebration is live! Maximum two guests per fellow.