“The Climate Divide” season three aims to highlight community resiliency
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Since its launch two years ago, “The Climate Divide” has revealed the different environmental injustices affecting residents across the District. The inaugural season explored how housing discrimination has shaped D.C., leaving certain neighborhoods more vulnerable to extreme heat and lacking vegetation. Season two widened the scope and covered stories of communities that have been voicing their concerns over flooding and pollution for decades. Next up in season three, coming tomorrow, we’ll focus on solutions to foster sustainability and resilience.
The more severe heat waves and floods that climate change has brought to the city have disproportionately affected low-income residents and exposed longstanding inequities. Climate researchers point to how the window to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a safe and livable future is closing. With the dates nearing that the city set for itself to expand its tree cover and reduce emissions, now is the time to evaluate if D.C. is on track to achieving its climate goals.
To amplify this storytelling, Hola Cultura has been thrilled to collaborate with larger D.C. news outlets. Following the conclusion of season one, we partnered with WAMU 88.5 on a one-hour radio special covering the Urban Heat Island Effect, which proudly earned a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Before the launch of the second season, we co-published an article with the Washington City Paper that explained how racially restrictive covenants and the Federal Housing Administration’s grading maps that historically influenced patterns of disinvestment in black neighborhoods with longstanding environmental problems such as flooding and pollution. We’ll work with the City Paper again this year to bring our climate justice stories to more readers in the District.
Since environmental burdens aren’t felt the same, many people are working to ensure that the climate transition is equitable and that vulnerable residents have a healthy future and the resources to face natural disasters. There are numerous grassroots initiatives, city government programs and federal grants attempting to address these pressing climate and health concerns. Season three will examine these solutions and their impact on residents.
The episodes will investigate legislation that seeks to expand tree protections, change how the city manages its parkland and finance electric retrofits of middle and low-income homes. We’ll also highlight efforts to create community capacity, such as the Faunteroy Community Enrichment Center’s path to becoming the city’s first resilience hub.
“The Climate Divide” season three will launch on Apr. 25. Find it here at Hola Cultura or wherever you get your podcasts.
– Story by Xavier Andrade and Marcelo Jauregui-Volpe
– Copy edited by Crystal Lee and Michelle Benitez
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