Koi and Concrete: Heat Mitigation Communication in California Schools.

• In Event: The effects of environmental risks on children

Abstract

Climate change is impacting the frequency and severity of extreme weather events in California including heat waves and the rise of daily maximum average temperature. This change in environment has led to school districts implementing various strategies to protect their students from extreme heat. This paper aims to understand heat mitigation strategies, policies, and communications to document inequities and the need for solutions in California. To learn about the solutions accessible to schools, we conducted a mixed-method analysis of 236 district websites, social media posts, and media correspondence representing a 20% sample of all districts in the state. Although many districts are doing little on this front, we identify a number of common approaches to heat mitigation, as well as some unique responses to address specific local challenges. We provide the first review of heat mitigation efforts in public schools and identify inequities in funding and resources available to districts for becoming more climate-resilient. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Authors

• Andrew Penner, University of California, Irvine
  Non-Presenting Co-Author

• Olivia Woolsey, University of California, Irvine
  Presenting Author