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Humankind didn't evolve in heat like this. It's been well over 100,000 years since the planet has seen the sort of scorching temperatures that have become the norm in the last few years. And that goes for Texas too, where many are still tempted to shrug and claim, 'This is Texas. It's always been hot.'
But this is not the heat (or the humidity) of our parents or grandparents. And it's claiming lives. Obviously, until we transition away from fossil fuels and begin the work of ecological repair the world over to bring these temperatures back down, the work of adaptation will be needed. So how can we design our cities and towns to help more people survive this shift?
Bill Barker has worked as director of planning at VIA Metropolitan Transit, as executive director of Solar San Antonio, and has spent years thinking about heat, cities, and adaptation. Lately, he's been making his case for local action with presentation to small and large groups.
Deceleration had a chance to sit down and hear from him recently about the situation in San Antonio, but the lessons here are relevant to communities the world over.