Your zip code determines whether you survive the heat. By Antonieta Cádiz (Climate Power En Acción)
By Antonieta Cádiz, Executive Director, Climate Power in Action
As more than 130 million people sweated in record-breaking temperatures this week, two parallel realities became apparent: In Brentwood, Los Angeles, families cranked up the air conditioning; just 20 minutes away in Boyle Heights, residents opened their windows hoping for a breeze that never came . The difference: 12 degrees Fahrenheit that can determine whether you sleep or spend the night awake.
This isn't a matter of geography. It's a matter of politics. Extreme heat kills more Americans than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. And when we look at the map, the pattern is clear and brutal: Latino neighborhoods are veritable urban furnaces, up to 7 degrees hotter than nearby areas with more resources and purchasing power.
Why does Gulfton, Houston, cook without trees while other neighborhoods enjoy ample shaded parks? Why do the same zip codes that suffered redlining decades ago now record the deadliest temperatures? The answer lies in deliberate decisions: decades of urban planning that concentrated asphalt and denied vegetation to communities with less political power to defend themselves.
The cost is measured in lives, not just degrees. Latino farmworkers are 20 times more likely to die from extreme heat than the rest of the country's workforce. Twenty times that. We're talking about fathers, mothers, siblings who go out into the fields every morning in temperatures exceeding 110°F, without shade, without guaranteed breaks, without protection .
A system that turns its back on themWhen these communities ask for help, they find a system that turns its back on them. Research shows that neighborhoods with high Latino and immigrant populations—even those classified as highly vulnerable— receive fewer federal funds to address the climate crisis .
And the impact isn't just physical or emotional—it's also economic. This summer, American families are expected to spend a record $784 , on average, to cool their homes between June and September. More than 21 million people are already behind on their energy bills. Latino families, who already face higher energy burdens, could see their bills increase by more than $110 next year and up to $400 over the next decade if clean energy tax credits are eliminated, as proposed in Trump's budget plan. For many families, that means having to choose between turning on the air conditioning or putting food on the table.
And worse, the situation continues to deteriorate. While extreme heat costs the country $162 billion a year , cuts to federal agencies and programs charged with preventing and mitigating this crisis have been equally extreme. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has lost more than 850 employees; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faces a 26% cut that would directly affect environmental justice and air monitoring programs. The CDC has eliminated the unit that monitored heat-related illnesses. And vital programs like LIHEAP , which helps vulnerable families pay for air conditioning, are also on the line.
Eliminating the National Heat Strategy leaves us without a plan, without coordination, without a federal response when it's most needed. All this amid increasingly longer, more intense, and more deadly summers.
Mental and physical health at its limitThe consequences go beyond the thermometer. Those taking antidepressants or other psychiatric medications are more vulnerable to heat, and studies show a direct link between heat waves and mental health crises. Sleep loss due to high temperatures also increases stress. For Latino communities, already with limited access to mental health services, this is a perfect storm.
Outdoor workers—those who harvest our food, build our cities, and keep our communities moving—are among the most exposed to extreme heat, and the majority are Latino. According to the EPA, Latinos are 40% more likely to live in areas where it will soon be too dangerous to work all day in the sun. And the data is alarming: these workers are 35 times more likely to die from heat-related illnesses than the rest of the population.
The impact isn't just human, it's also economic: By mid-century, extreme heat could lead to $55 billion in lost wages annually , hitting communities of color hardest. Still, Trump's cuts have eliminated basic protections like breaks, shade, and water, and dismantled key OSHA offices and federal programs that protected those who are literally working hard.
In the short term, extreme heat affects organs such as the heart and kidneys, and worsens respiratory and metabolic diseases. In the long term, it increases the risk of suicide, hospitalizations, and a cycle of suffering that doesn't end when the temperature drops.
It's not the weather: it's the zip codeNationally, extreme heat events are responsible for nearly 235,000 emergency room visits and more than 56,000 hospital admissions for heat-related or heat-related illnesses, adding approximately $1 billion in healthcare costs each summer. Long-term effects include increased risk of suicide and increased mental health-related hospital admissions and emergency room visits, creating a cycle of vulnerability that persists long after temperatures drop.
In 2024 alone, Arizona’s Maricopa County reported 602 heat-related deaths, with some cases still under investigation. Phoenix experienced 113 consecutive days above 100°F . In North Carolina , Duke Energy warned of heat-related blackouts, while farmworkers—mostly Latino—reported dangerous conditions and heat exhaustion. In Atlanta , where temperatures are exceeding 100°F, the Climate Shift Index says such events are now five times more likely due to climate change.
The message is clear: your zip code can determine whether you live or die when the heat arrives. And at Climate Power in Action, we see it for what it is: a vital emergency that demands concrete and urgent responses.
Climate plans—local, state, and federal—must take into account that many Latino communities are among the most vulnerable to extreme heat. Solutions such as free and accessible cooling centers, bilingual staff, cool roofs, permeable pavement, trees, and green spaces can make a significant difference, especially in Latino-majority ZIP codes.
Real solutions for an avoidable crisisAt the federal level, experts and community leaders have proposed recognizing extreme heat as a disaster under the Stafford Act , which would allow FEMA to release funds at critical times. There has also been a call for national standards to protect outdoor workers—such as rest breaks, shade, and access to clean water—since only three states have specific heat-related worker protections: California, Oregon, and Washington.
Additionally, there is growing interest in private sector investment in clean energy in Latino communities, through solar panels, energy storage, and community microgrids. These investments not only help lower electricity costs—by up to 40% in some cases—but also strengthen local resilience and create jobs.
Every person can be part of the solution. Demand that your community be included in local climate adaptation plans. Contact your representatives. Sign petitions. Get involved.
The communities that have contributed the least to climate change are paying the highest price. But every heat wave is also an opportunity to build a country where protection from the heat is a right, not a luxury.
The future we deserve cannot be built by ignoring those who burn in silence today. Let's shine a light. Let's do justice. Because every step up puts another life at risk. And we can't afford to lose even one more.
* Climate Power En Acción is a Climate Power project focused on reaching and mobilizing Latinos for climate action and a fairer, cleaner, and healthier economy.
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