"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Category: Policy
How COVID Is Impacting the Coal Industry
04/20/20
“How is COVID impacting the coal industry?”
The coal industry has been in decline for many decades now. However, the COVID pandemic is only accelerating things. Since coal workers are forced to stay at home and electricity demand is dropping, the revenue streams of these companies have all but disappeared. This is forcing many into bankruptcy, spilling into further contraction for the sector. This is How COVID Is Impacting the Coal Industry.
Extreme Heat Migration
04/19/20
“How will extreme heat induce migration in the future?”
With the advent of climate change, All locations are going to become much hotter. Certain areas might become so bad that communities will have to flee. This Extreme Heat Migration will become more apparent in the future as temperature increases reach catastrophic levels.
How Water Monitoring Can Assist With Flood Resilience Preparation
04/17/20
“How can water monitoring assist with flood resilience preparation?”
With the advent of the new climate paradigm, floods are going to become more common and lethal. In order to prevent disruption, water levels in rivers, oceans, and ponds can be monitored. This way, if things start to become too unstable, preventative action can be taken. This is How Water Monitoring Can Assist With Flood Resilience Preparation.
Why Rising Global Temperatures May Impact School Performance (And Why This Is an Equity Issue)
04/16/20
“Why may rising global temperatures impact school performance and why is this an equity issue?”
Working in hot conditions is always difficult. It makes it hard to concentrate, you need to take more water breaks, and the experience is just generally unpleasant. Studying and learning in a classroom is no different. Schools with less adequate resources are overwhelmingly more likely to have less-maintained and up-to-date facilities that lack air-conditioning systems. With the advent of climate change, temperatures are going to become much higher, and communities who do not have the resources to cope with this are going to be impacted more. This is Why Rising Global Temperatures May Impact School Performance (And Why This Is an Equity Issue).
Image credit http://www.ajc.com
Why Allowing Hospital Staff to Rest Will Increase Medical Effectiveness
04/15/20
“Why do breaks make hospital workers more effective?”
Hospital workers are the backbone of our medical establishments. Even though they save lives every day, they have lives of their own that need to be maintained. If they go without rest, they will become more tired and error-prone. By allowing for relaxation, hospital workers can recharge and get back to work. This is Why Allowing Hospital Staff to Rest Will Increase Medical Effectiveness.
Interhospital Communication
04/14/20
“How can hospitals communicate with one another?”
Hospitals are often thought of as stand-alone institutions. However, this is rarely the case, especially in times of crisis. Interhospital Communication can facilitate resource and research interchange and ensure that capacities can be combined to achieve the most effective action.
Why Telecommuting Can Halt the Transmission of Diseases
04/10/20
“How can telecommuting halt disease transmission?”
Diseases can be extremely infectious, hopping from one person to another indiscriminately. However, if people can isolate themselves from one another, then the disease will have no transfer medium. Telecommuting can help facilitate this by allowing workers to stay home from their office, sparing others of potential sickness. This is Why Telecommuting Can Halt the Transmission of Diseases.
Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects
04/08/20
“Why do wildfire maps need to take into account the effects of wind?”
Wildland-urban interface maps are pivotal for community planners, emergency managers, and policymakers to understand their community’s vulnerability to wildfire. However, seldom do these take into account wind, which holds the potential to spread fires beyond the natural wildland-urban interface. This can be a critical factor and needs to be taken into account. This is Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects.
Image credit media.wired.com
Hospital Surge Plans
04/07/20
“How can hospitals plan for a sudden surge of patients?”
Hospitals during emergencies (such as during the COVID epidemic) can expect a sudden surge of patients. To prepare for this, these facilities will need a Hospital Surge Plan. These can include rapidly recruiting medical workers, procuring a massive amount of hospital beds to increase hospital capacity, and establishing communication protocols.
Image credit cdn.vox-cdn.com
Isaac's Science Blog 