Thermal justice: New report examines threat of extreme heat, suggests culturally informed policies

Extreme heat kills more people in the U.S. each year than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. But how can we address a seemingly natural force? Heat can often seem solely weather-related, with policies trying to find a solution through temperature metrics, cooling technologies, and alerts. However, a new report from the Vanderbilt Cultural Contexts of Health and Wellbeing Initiative (VU-CCH) suggests that extreme heat is not just a climate issue, but also a social one.