Date of Completion
2019
Document Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Environmental Science
Thesis Type
Honors College, College of Arts and Science Honors
First Advisor
Rory Waterman
Second Advisor
Christine Vatovec
Third Advisor
Rachelle Gould
Keywords
Climate change, health, health impacts
Abstract
Climate change impacts human health in a variety of ways, which differ depending on geographical location. These impacts include worsening heat events, worsening air quality, and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, among other things. I completed an assessment to look at the many possible ways in which climate change could impact the health of the residents of Alexandria, Virginia, and then focused on heat and air quality impacts as areas of top concern. I identified vulnerable populations for each impact, and researched young athletes and heat illness in particular. After looking broadly into the individual health impacts, I reviewed existing policy regarding climate change and health at the local and state level with a focus on school sports cancellation policy. I also reviewed the resources and policies available in major U.S. cities and states for comparison. After reviewing the policy and information available in Alexandria and other localities, I made recommendations to by implemented in the short-term and long-term for mitigation of these health impacts.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Davies, Oona Mae, "Alexandria, Virginia: Climate and Health Assessment" (2019). UVM Honors College Senior Theses. 458.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/hcoltheses/458