From higher electricity bills to worsened health, more than half of Americans have felt the impacts of extreme heat, according to a new survey released by NPR, Harvard University and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That percentage is even higher in California, where heat was the top climate impact, reported by 71% of those surveyed.
“California does have low rates of air conditioning in homes, maybe because it’s blessed with cool breezes in a lot of parts of the state, but when an extreme heat event comes and there’s no cool air available, you’re in trouble,” says David Eisenman, a doctor who directs the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. “That’s why you’re seeing this higher number.”
Nationally, poll results underline how people consciously connect climate change to their health. Nearly one-quarter of those who experienced extreme weather in the past five years said someone in their household had a serious health problem as a result. And perceived health impacts don’t fall equally, according to poll respondents: Overall, 11% of Americans personally affected by heat say their households have faced serious health problems resulting from a lack of air conditioning in their homes. Even greater shares of Native American, Latino, Black and Asian adults agreed with that sentiment.
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