City Council 6.17.20
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Urban heat islands are urban zones that are 2-20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than that ofthe outlying areas and occur when natural, sustainable landscapes are replaced with unsustainable, dark pavement and buildings that absorb heat; and
WHEREAS, This effect, when combined with rising temperatures caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases, has serious health effects, with heat as one of the leading weather-related causes of death; and
WHEREAS, The urban heat island effect impacting Chicago contributes to higher energy bills, and lower air quality, resulting in adverse health problems such as higher morbidity, higher mortality; and according to The National Bureau of Economic Research, higher rates of overall crime and violent crime occur on hot summer days; and
WHEREAS, Residents living in Environmental Justice communities and communities of color are more likely to experience disproportionately lower quality of life in part due to proximity and exposure to industrial pollutants, access to quality foods and healthcare, and existing mental and physical health conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory issues, asthma, obesity, worsened by climate change; and
WHEREAS, Ozone pollution created by fossil fuel combustion causes lung inflammation and difficulty breathing; especially for individuals with existing heart and respiratory conditions, ozone pollution is a major health threat, as it causes serious respiratory harm, potentially resulting in cardiovascular damage, harm to the central nervous system, reproductive harm, developmental harm, and even early death; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with Northwestern University, hosted an Urban Heat Island Pilot Project in Chicago to test "green" roof solutions; at the time, Chicago was classified as a severe nonattainment area for ozone or smog, meaning the air quality did not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards de...
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