Urban Heat & Environmental Justice
What historical housing policy contributed to increased heat exposure in certain urban neighborhoods in the US?
Redlining
What term describes the increase in Earth’s temperature due to trapped greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane?
Greenhouse effect
Who is Paul Ehrlich?
American Biologist. studied human population growth. Also studied Derivative threats to biodiversity from climate change.
What is HOLC?
Home owners’ Loan Corporation’s
What is Climate Change?
It is a long-term shift in climate patterns, often caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests. These actions increase greenhouse gases, trapping heat and changing weather, sea levels, and ecosystems.
By approximately how many degrees Celsius are redlined areas warmer than non-redlined areas on average across the US?
2.6°C
Which animal species in Costa Rica's cloud forests is highlighted as an example of climate-induced extinction?
The golden toad
Who asked "why is the temperature of the Earth so suitable for humans and other forms of life?"
Arrhenius
What is redlining?
This historical housing practice systematically denied investment and loans to certain neighborhoods, often based on racial demographics.
How does climate change affect public health in urban areas, particularly those impacted by historical housing policies?
It increases the incidence of heat-related illnesses and respiratory problems due to higher temperatures and pollution.
Name two factors contributing to higher temperatures in redlined neighborhoods
Higher density of impervious surfaces and lower tree canopy coverage
What type of feedback loop occurs when dark water absorbs more heat as Arctic ice melts, accelerating climate warming?
Positive feedback loop
What conservation biologist highlighted the impact of climate change on biodiversity in Conservation Biology for All?
Thomas E. Lovejoy
What is the degree difference between the green and the red zones?
7.1 degrees Celsius to -1.5 degrees Celsius
What effects the ocean negatively, caused by increase CO2 levels?
Ocean Acidification
Which U.S. Census Bureau regions experience the greatest temperature differences between redlined and non-redlined areas?
Southeast and Western regions
Why are high-altitude species particularly vulnerable to climate change?
As they move upslope to escape rising temperatures, they eventually run out of habitable space
Name one researcher involved in the study connecting redlining to urban heat exposure across U.S. cities.
Jeremy S. Hoffman
Was it found that redlining is still being used today based on the HOLC paper?
Yes
What is the negative effect of positive feedback
they worsen climate change and can lead to a “runaway greenhouse effect”.
What urban planning practice is suggested to mitigate the urban heat island effect in historically redlined neighborhoods?
Increasing green infrastructure, such as planting trees and creating green spaces
What is one major impact of ocean acidification caused by elevated CO₂ levels on marine biodiversity?
Acidification affects calcifying species like corals and shellfish by dissolving their calcium carbonate structures, disrupting marine food webs.
Who was responsible for creating color-coded residential maps in the 1930s that led to the redlining of neighborhoods?
The Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC)
What features of formerly redlined neighborhoods contribute to their higher temperatures?
The study found that formerly redlined neighborhoods are often characterized by fewer green spaces and higher amounts of impervious surfaces.
In Europe many butterfly species have moved north due to climate change. Name 1 listed in the article.
Edith’s checkerspot butterfly, sooty
copper