Cobb County as a Habitat

The Region's Climate & Data Maps

Elevation

Average elevation: 988 ft

Minimum elevation: 732 ft

Maximum elevation: 1,736 ft

Census

[Retrieved from Randy Majors]

Flood Risk Factor

[Retrieved from First Street]

Fire Risk Factor

[Retrieved from First Street]

Wind Risk Factor

[Retrieved from First Street]

Air Quality Factor

[Retrieved from First Street]

Heat Risk Factor

[Retrieved from First Street]

Cobb County's Biggest Climate Challenge

Based on the data found above, I'm convinced that the biggest climate challenge that densely populated Cobb County cities like Marietta, Vinings, and Smyrna experience is the risk of urban heat, especially because these areas are growing and developing at a rate faster than the communities can prepare for them. Rising global temperatures are leading to more frequent and intense heat waves, which are exacerbated by urban development and the urban heat island effect.

From research, I've learned about a concept called the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This is a phenomenon where cities like Atlanta experience significantly warmer temperatures than the surrounding rural areas because of the high concentration of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that absorb and retain heat more than natural landscapes. As a matter of fact, the NIHHIS (n.d.) confirms that "highly developed urban areas can experience mid-afternoon temperatures that are 15°F to 20°F warmer than surrounding, vegetated areas." Urban heat has a lot to do with how cities are created and built over time. There's always construction in Atlanta and the greater Atlanta areas as well, make it evident that this issue is only getting worse unless we redefine how we build cities or by incorporating more vegetation and areas of cooling.

This might sound a bit absurd, but I can feel the urban heat island creeping its way into Marietta. See, when I was growing up, I found the winters in Cobb County to be unbearable and the summer and springs to be pleasant, but ever since Marietta boomed in the past decade, the area has felt unusually hot all year round. However, when I recently went to Lawrenceville for a hair treatment, I noticed the temperature was much cooler than where I lived. So, yes, I believe in the concept of UHI.

We all know that global warming is impacting every place on Earth, but cities and ice-capped areas are being impacted more than other areas. This issue is no joke and has a significantly negative impact on the livability of cities as habitats, especially when the US Census Bureau confirms that 80% of Americans live in urban areas (NIHHIS, n.d.).

Implications & Impact Explored

What does all of this mean for community members, those who are most impacted, and those who are least helped with this major challenge?

Well, the CDC estimates that "the annual rate of heat-related deaths per 100,000 population is 0.3 in large central metro areas" (NIHHIS, n.d.). That's one death for every 300,000 people. If Cobb County currently has a little over 766,000 residents, then it experiences about 2-3 deaths each year from heat-related incidents. However, I predict this number is much higher because, as I reported in last week's fieldwork report, Marietta has great schools which attracts families. Many times students play sports and a lot of these sports are played outdoors like football and soccer, increasing the risk of heat strokes and deaths among adolescents. I've already started seeing more of them on the news in the past couple years than I have in my entire lifetime. It's a big deal.

UHI causes more harm than just deaths. It leads to higher energy costs due to increased consumption for cooling, more air pollution, and other heat-related illnesses like heat strokes and respiratory illnesses (NIHHS, n.d.).

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.), extreme heat events oftentimes impacts certain populations first due to factors like age, race, income, and location, increasing risks of illness and mortality for some more than others. Dimacaling (2024) lists the following groups as most impacted:

• Vulnerable populations including the elderly, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses and may lack access to sufficient cooling measures like air conditioning

• Residents in lower-income neighborhoods often face barriers to accessing cooling solutions, such as unaffordable air conditioning or inadequate housing insulation. I have personally learned about this in another social impact course.

• Outdoor workers, such as construction workers or landscapers, are also at higher risk due to prolonged exposure to extreme heat conditions

The EPA (n.d.) suggests mitigating urban heat by adding more natural surfaces and green infrastructure like green roofs to cities. Is Cobb County doing enough to mitigate urban heat and improve its communities' health, safety, and comfort as it continues to grow? I think the city is making efforts towards improving conditions, but not enough and not fast enough - more can definitely be done.

References

Dimacaling, N. (2024, June 27). Extreme heat waves aren’t ‘just summer’: How climate change is heating up the weather, and what we can do about it. Cobb Courier. https://cobbcountycourier.com/2024/06/extreme-heat-waves-arent-just-summer-how-climate-change-is-heating-up-the-weather-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/

National Integrated Heat Health Information System [NIHHIS]. (n.d.). Urban Heat Islands. HEAT.gov. https://www.heat.gov/pages/urban-heat-islands

US Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. (n.d.). Reduce Heat Islands. https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/reduce-heat-islands