Opinion: How climate change worsens disparities among Austin kids

Despite the sometimes oppressive Texas heat, I bike or take the bus to work. On my commute, I crisscross Holly Street, East Cesar Chavez, and downtown. Biking through downtown, I pass the Texas Capitol to enjoy the shade of 27 different tree species. But for most of my bike commute, I feel the sun beating down on me as I pedal through the urban landscape.

The differences between these neighborhoods are captured in a January report from Brandeis University that scored 100 U.S. cities and urban areas on how much access kids have to resources that help them live healthy lives, called the Child Opportunity Index. This is particularly important in Texas, where a statewide survey found only six percent of Latinx 4th graders are reaching the recommended levels of physical activity.

The researchers included 29 factors such as air pollution and access to greenspace as indicators of what help children thrive. Of the six Texas metros in the report, Austin boasts the highest score. Critically, however, the data show an unacceptable gap between kids of different backgrounds and neighborhoods: one in three Latinx children in Austin live in very low-opportunity neighborhoods. That’s five times the percentage of white children who live in these areas. My commute is a daily reminder of these differences.

And now an unexpected force is making this unjust disparity worse: climate change.

Extreme heat, which we see in Austin with growing frequency, is an invisible killer that can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We’re all vulnerable to these rising temperatures, but some face greater risks: children, older adults, and outdoor workers.

In my work, I investigate how high temperatures in urban spaces impact human health and how people use these spaces. This is especially important because cities are known to be warmer than surrounding areas because of the “heat island effect.” Cities are hotter due to high amounts of dark building materials, lack of vegetation, urban form, and emissions from machines like air conditioning units. Lower-income neighborhoods feel the heat island effect even more. I’ve seen first-hand that high temperatures prevent children from being as active and healthy as they could be. When it’s unbearably hot, playing outside is miserable and even dangerous.

Working with colleagues at the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and UTHealth School of Public Health in Austin, our team is studying how trees, gardens, and nature trails at Barrington, Cook, and Odom School Parks affect temperatures, and how students and the community use the parks. All three schools are in lower-income, largely Latinx neighborhoods in Austin. About 21% of Odom School Park is covered by tree canopy, compared to 10% and 7% coverage at Cook and Barrington, respectively.

Trees are one heat management strategy that does more than reduce sun exposure and temperatures. They can improve mental health, and a 2014 study found trees in the U.S. save nearly $7 billion in health costs. That said, artificial structures that reduce sun exposure—such as overhangs and bus stop shelters—can also help us adjust to rising urban temperatures.

The bottom line? Climate change and development patterns are perpetuating and intensifying existing health inequities in Austin. Unless we take action, this won’t stop. Teachers and school administrators should schedule recess during cooler times of day. Urban planners should ensure playgrounds and parks are designed to support activity even on increasingly hot days.

While the Child Opportunity Index for Austin was a mixed bag, the good news is we can pair these data with solutions like better greenspaces to improve health, reduce inequities, and respond to climate change. All our neighborhoods may not be equitable today, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get there.

Dr. Lanza is a post-doctoral fellow at the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at the UTHealth School of Public Health in Austin. Through his research, he aims to promote safe physical activity for children in hot weather.