We know how to do snow around here. Like cranberries and cod, it’s part of the brand. But can we New Englanders be just as hardy when it comes to extreme heat? Come winter, and that first snowstorm, we’ll know exactly what to do.
Press conferences by fleece-vested electeds, updates from over-excited weather reporters, and scrolling TV warnings will have us on high alert. We’ll stock up on ice melt and sliced bread as if the world is ending. We’ll dust off our boots and dig out our shovels.
We’ll hunker down and stay warm, check on vulnerable neighbors, and allow extra time for our commutes. We’ve got this. Now, can we do the same for heatwaves? In case you haven’t noticed, Massachusetts is getting hotter.
We’ve already seen a bunch of 90-plus degree days here, and we’re going to see a lot more of them, thanks to climate change. As my colleague Sabrina Shankman has pointed out , even in a best-case scenario, Boston’s summers will be as warm as Baltimore’s later this century. And if we don’t get a grip on our emissions, we’ll be Memphis.
Brian Swett, Boston’s super aptly-named Chief Climate officer, says we could get as many as 90 days over 90-degrees each summer by 2070 . Advertisement We aren’t built for this. We literally aren’t built for this.
Our old buildings are designed to retain heat, not provide relief from it. We are good at heating, but relatively few homes and schools have air conditioning. Our roofs and roads and transit systems magnify our discomfort on hot days.
We have laws and regulations that protect the most vulnerable among us from extreme cold, but not from blistering heat. And we don’t yet have the same all-in-this-together attitude in heatwaves as we do in blizzards. “That first snowstorm in Boston is like riding a bike,” Swett said.
“With extreme heat, we’re only just starting to develop that mindset.” Boston is heading there, the city pushing developers to build for heat relief, pushing projects to use materials that reflect sun and provide more shade. In the short term, the city has been making hot weather infrastructure like cooling centers, splash pads, and misting tents necessities rather than aesthetic features.
In the longer term, the city needs more trees, light-colored roofs, and less asphalt. Advertisement Extreme weather falls unevenly upon us , affecting the old, the very young and the unluckiest of us the most. We have programs to protect those people during the winter: Low income heating assistance helps with heating bills, but the already-oversubscribed program provides little help for air conditioning in Massachusetts.
Utility companies aren’t allowed to shut off the power if a customer is in arrears in cold months, but we need a moratorium on shutoffs during hottest months, too . The state has regulations mandating a minimum temperature threshold for livability during cold months, but no maximum threshold which would require landlords to keep their properties cool in summer. “In heatwaves, air conditioning isn’t a luxury item,” said Sasha Shyduroff, a principal planner on the clean energy team at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.
“It can really be lifesaving.” Many workers require extra protections during extreme heat , but “a lot of employers don’t take the danger of heat seriously,” said Rick Rabin, a senior trainer at the Massachusetts Coalition of Occupational Safety and Health. People who work outside need shade and water breaks when it’s hot.
Sometimes, it’s too hot to work at all. Many of those workers are immigrants, working in construction, landscaping, and kitchens, and they’re afraid to speak up for themselves, Rubin said. A lot of this comes down to public awareness.
Right now, we have a patchwork of protections, with forward-thinking municipalities and various state agencies tackling the worsening heat crisis piecemeal. The state is moving towards a more unified approach on several fronts. For example, a sprawling plan called ResilientMass is meant to formalize our response to all kinds of extreme weather events, including heat.
It will include a Heat Flag system, which will kick in on hot days to warn residents how heat can hurt them, and show them how to protect themselves and their neighbors. Advertisement We all have a role to play here. Let’s pick up the pace.
It’s only getting hotter. Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham can be reached at yvonne.abraham@globe.
com ..
