I’m from Michigan. So, I consider myself an expert on cold weather (tips: layer up, drink warm beverages, move to a warmer climate). For me that move was to New York City, which I will argue is substantially balmier than my native Great Lake States, but it still dropped to an admittedly brisk nine degrees fahrenheit (for all y’all outside of the USofA that would be -12 degrees celsius) in the Big Apple last night. Growing up, in the winter months, my mother would say at least once a week how grateful our family was to have heating. At the time, the comment struck me as more bizarre than poignant, but in my adult life, her words resonant whenever I walk outside on a particularly frosty day. For millions globally living in poverty without adequate shelter or heating, cold weather has severe and devastating consequences.

For the homeless, sleeping outside in frigid temperatures is life threatening, and heated shelters are struggling in many northern cities to provide enough beds for those in need. In Toronto, the deaths of two homeless men during a recent cold spell incited advocates who called for the city to open more emergency warming centers. Older people also experience extreme hardship during the colder months. Individuals unable to leave their apartments due to weather conditions, become isolated for extended stretches of time. For elderly adults, without familial support, who are unable to afford care services, this can be life threatening. Older adults are also more susceptible to hypothermia, which can be deadly if not treated quickly, according tothe National Institute of Health. Further, individuals living below the poverty line in chilly climates have a difficult time meeting the high cost of heating costs, and as a result, are forced to live in inadequately heated households-risking illness and other challenges.

Think about cold weather as creating a kind of environmental classism. For low-income people in the United States and globally, energy costs are rising at a higher and faster rate than overall household incomes. Increased cost of heating combined with the health and safety consequences of cold weather have significant and potentially deadly consequences for those unable to access appropriate shelter. In many cases they can create a downward economic spiral where inability to afford proper heating leads to higher health costs which further hurts the ability to afford appropriate shelter and leads to worse health conditions and so on and so on.

So, for those of us experiencing arctic temperatures, take a moment to consider the luxury of heating, and consider ways to support those who do not have the benefit of a warm home. I know I am. Thanks, Mom!

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Kathleen Ebbitt