The Allegheny Front’s intern Kyra McCague co-produced this report.
This summer’s heat wave has been hard to ignore. Allegheny County activated its first-ever Code Red Heat Advisory due to The National Weather Service’s extreme heat warning in late June, which was expected to be in the upper 90s or even feel like 100 degrees or hotter.
Pennsylvania is expected to have 37 days of 90-degree temperatures in a year by mid-century, up from an average of 5. Southwestern Pennsylvania will see more extremely hot days than anywhere else in the state, according to a state climate assessment. Scientists say the best way to slow and eventually stop global warming is by reducing or eliminating fossil fuel use.
Pittsburgh residents are taking notice of these soaring temperatures and more intense storms. The Allegheny Front’s interns Isabel Kim and Kyra McCague went on the streets of Pittsburgh’s South Side to ask people how the recent weather has affected them, what they think is behind these changes, and what they know – or don’t know – about climate change.
LISTEN to the story
Some said the extreme shifts in temperature have disrupted their routines or driven up energy bills.
“I have to use a lot more energy at the house. The budget is different, like the pay is not going up, but the energy bills are going up,” said Kamal Sutariya.
- Pa. heat advisories are outpacing the average rate this summer. Climate change plays a role
- ‘We’re loading the dice’: Scientists say record heat is due to climate change
- Learning to live with wildfires, as climate change heats up
“One day you need a jacket and then the next day you don’t, and then it’s raining all week, one week, and it’s just all over the place,” said Jimmy Friese.
Others reflected on how summers today feel vastly different from those they remember growing up.
“When I was younger in the summer, we didn’t have air conditioning. And now it’s almost like you come outside and get sick. You can’t really breathe that well,” said Caitlin Frew.
For many, the answer to why things are changing was clear.
“I think a contributing factor is global warming,” said Jimmy Friese.
“Definitely what us humans are doing to the environment. I don’t think climate change is something fake or made up,” Caitlin Frew agreed.
“We’re killing our planet,” said Kaleah Smith.
“Because we consume a lot and we trash a lot, we use a lot of different things that pollute the air and all types of stuff,” said Diana Purdom.
Others pointed to pollution, fossil fuel use, and big corporations as major contributors.
But not everyone felt confident explaining what climate change actually is.
“Global warming. I really don’t know at this time,” said Kevin Cunningham.
“I don’t honestly know much. I’m definitely not very educated on climate change subject as well as global warming,” said John Hopkinson.
“I just feel like the climate is changing overall,” said Diana Purdom. “And so I still have a lot to work on this myself.”
Several people admitted they’re not well-informed or only hear bits and pieces through social media or podcasts.
Despite different levels of understanding, the majority of the people we spoke to agreed: something is changing that affects their daily lives, so they feel their actions need to change.
“Pollution definitely has gotten bad,” said Kaleah Smith.
“I know it’s mostly from our vehicles and everything like that,” said Jimmy Friese. “I think we should get off the gasoline, and that’s a big contributing factor.”
“We have to recycle more, eat cleaner, do more clean things to replenish the earth,” said Diana Purdom. “I think we could let the earth rest a little bit.”
