Lifestyle
As the US hits record high temperatures, some people are forced to choose between food and energy bills
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — During the heat dome that blanketed much of the Southeast in June, Stacey Freeman used window units to cool her poorly insulated mobile home in Fayetteville, N.C. The 44-year-old mom relied on space heaters during the winter.
In each cases, her energy bills bumped into tons of of dollars a month.
“Sometimes I have to choose whether to pay the electric bill,” Freeman said, “or pay all the rent, buy food, or not let my son play sports?”
As a regional field organizer for PowerUp NC, Freeman’s job is to help people properly weatherize their homes, especially in the Sandhills region where she lives and works and where poverty and rising temperatures make residents vulnerable to the health effects of climate change.
But Freeman’s income is just too high to afford the services she helps others obtain through her grassroots initiative for sustainability, clean energy and environmental justice.
Like a growing variety of Americans, Freeman is battling what is named energy povertyincluding the inability to pay utility bills for heating or cooling the home. Households that spend greater than 6% Some researchers suggest that around 20% of their income from electricity bills goes to the energy poor.
Energy poverty can increase exposure to extreme heat or cold, which increases the risk of respiratory problems, heart problems, allergies, kidney disease and other health problems. And that burden falls disproportionately on households in communities of color, which experience it at a rate 60% higher than in white communities.
Public health and environmental experts say that as climate change continues to drive extreme weather, greater policy efforts are needed to help vulnerable communities, especially during heatwaves.
“Energy poverty is just one example of how climate change can exacerbate existing inequities in our communities,” said Summer Tonizzo, spokeswoman for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Extreme heat is the leading explanation for weather-related deaths in the U.S., and the risk increases as temperatures rise. Last yr, 2,302 people died in the U.S. died of heat-related causeswhich is a 44% increase compared to 2021. In one week in early July this yr, extreme heat killed at the very least 28 people, according to The Washington Postbased on reports from government officials, health workers and local media reports.
Yet 1 in 7 households spends about 14% of their income on energy, according to RMI, an energy and sustainability think tank. Nationally 16% of households lives in energy poverty, according to an evaluation co-authored by Noah Kittner, an assistant professor of public health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“Old, inefficient buildings and heating systems force people to supplement their energy needs in ways that increase costs,” Kittner said.
Pregnant women, people with heart or lung disease, young children, older people, and people who work or exercise outdoors are most vulnerable to heat-related health problems. High temperatures have also been linked to mental health problems, equivalent to suicide and severe depression.
Location is one other risk factor. For example, in the historically black community in Raleigh often called Method, temperatures might be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than nearby areas with more vegetation and less development, said La’Meshia Whittington, an environmental justice and clean energy advocate. Interstate 440 runs through Method, and the city stores shuttle buses there, often with their engines running.
“That creates a lot of pollution that heats the area,” Whittington said. “There’s no ground to absorb the heat. Instead, it bounces off the shingles, the roofs, the sidewalks, and creates a furnace.”
Method residents often complain of chronic headaches and respiratory problems, she added.
While rural areas tend to have cooler temperatures than nearby urban areas because they’ve less asphalt and more trees, they often lack resources like health care facilities and cooling centers. Substandard housing and higher poverty rates contribute to high rates of heat-related illnesses.
As Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University, puts it, energy poverty “is about burdens piling up without any means of addressing them at the individual level.”
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In many parts of the country, extreme heat is a comparatively latest problem. Policymakers have historically focused on the risks posed by lower temperatures.
The federal low-income home energy assistance program, established greater than 4 a long time ago, has a funding formula that favors states with a chilly climate over those experiencing extreme heat, according to a Georgetown University study. Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Texas and Nevada have the lowest proportional allocations of federal funds, while North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska have the highest.
North Carolina relies heavily on private donors and local nonprofits like PowerUp to provide fans and air conditioners during the summer, but the state doesn’t subsidize energy bills.
On extremely hot days, Freeman and her colleagues at PowerUp NC work with state health officials to direct vulnerable people to cooling centers.
On a private level, staying cool this summer meant sending my son to a free, open-air recreation center as a substitute of paying for him to play in a sports league.
“We do things that don’t cost anything,” she said. “We’re just trying to keep up with the electric bill.”
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Lifestyle
Meghan Markle shares why she “can’t wait” for the holidays
Meghan Markle loves the holidays.
The Duchess of Sussex said this in a recent interview Marie Clairethrough which she told how she and her young family, including Prince Harry, spend every holiday.
Firstly, the 43-year-old mother of two is thrilled to share her joy together with her two children, Prince Arcihe, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
“At first, I think as a mom with kids, you’re just happy that they’re there for you, but they don’t understand everything that’s going on yet,” she said. “But now we’re at an age where I look forward to seeing it through their lens every year.”
Meghan and her family’s holidays begin with what she called a “pretty low-key” Thanksgiving celebration.
“Over the last few years, as I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I’ve thought about always making sure there’s room at the table for friends who don’t have family, and that’s really key,” she said.
In her case, that meant welcoming people like Gloria Steinem to previous celebrations. But for the Sussexes, a low-key Thanksgiving also involves spending time with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, who lives near their home in California.
“Being close to my mom is great,” she said.
She added that her family often makes sure they’ve “something fun to do.”
“Like any other family, you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games and stuff like that, someone brings a guitar – it’s fun,” she continued. “Every vacation is a new adventure.”
Meghan also added how vital it’s for her children to experience the “magic” of the holiday season, including “wonderful recipes that end up being formative memories.” Currently, this includes leaving carrots for Santa’s reindeer on Christmas Eve.
The Duchess met with Marie Claire at a Christmas dinner for Afghan women who recently moved to California through… Mina’s Lista corporation that helps Afghan women evacuate Afghanistan and find resources and support. Women also receive support through Welcome project of the Archewell Foundationwhich Meghan and Prince Harry launched in 2023 to extend support for women who resettled in the US from Afghanistan, People Magazine reported. There are currently 11 Welcome Project chapters in nine states.
The dinner was held at a modern kitchenware company owned by women and immigrants Our place and included good food, energetic conversation, and even poetry.
“From my viewpoint, one in all the reasons we desired to make certain we had the opportunity to be together again – so a lot of us – straight away is because as the holidays approach, and in some ways they’ve already began, it brings to evoke a lot emotion in people,” Meghan said during her dinner remarks.
“You miss home, you miss your country, and you can also find solace in the new community you have here,” she continued. “I’m grateful that we get to be a part of this community.”
Lifestyle
Elaine Welteroth and Jonathan Singletary welcomed their second child
Elaine Welteroth has a brand recent bundle of joy!
The 37-year-old media personality and founding father of birthFUND welcomed her second child, a son named SantiGold, together with her husband, musician Jonathan Singletary, in early November.
While Welteroth said People Magazine that she and her growing family are “healthy and happy” – she admitted that she has been affected by sleep problems since welcoming the most recent member of the family.
“I’m not sure my brain is working at full speed,” she told the web site. “I’m sleep-deprived, but I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Recalling the precise day she went into labor, she stated that she just knew it was the day.
“His birth was largely orchestrated by God,” she explained. “I just instinctively said, ‘I’m going to send my kid to school, and when he comes home, he’ll have a little brother.'”
In addition to her general spidey senses, Welteroth had an impulse to be outdoors, so she went to the park.
“The moment I sat down on the grass, I felt the first contraction,” she said. “I assumed, ‘Let’s go, honey.’ “It’s happening.”
Still, there was no immediate sense of urgency for the young mother of two, even stopping to do some Reiki within the park together with her midwife. Shortly thereafter, she returned home for what she described because the “most beautiful” and “peaceful” home birth. SantiGold’s peaceful delivery could also be a part of the inspiration behind his name, which she said means “peace” in Thai.
“I think you’re more confident in the process the second time around,” she noted, adding, “You can trust the method more. The baby was born inside three hours, I could not consider it.
Welteroth, who welcomed her first child, a boy, together with her husband in April 2022, has long touted her second pregnancy as a “redemptive pregnancy.” Its first stage was marked by complications and anxiety. Halfway through, after learning concerning the full scope of the Black mother’s health crisis, she began working with a midwife and decided to have a house birth. She also learned what number of families couldn’t afford the life-saving care of midwives and doulas, which led her to launch the FUND birth fund earlier this yr.
It was through the organization’s official opening that she learned she was pregnant together with her second child, announcing the primary group of beneficiaries. Now her organization is preparing to reward 41 more families.
“I started with the mantra: ‘We are the ones who have to save ourselves,’” she said. “I’m just very, very proud of our team and that we can help women and families, especially in this moment when we see how the system is failing families. I am truly encouraged and hopeful.”
Lifestyle
The ultimate Black-owned gift guide for Divine 9 members
When it involves honoring the wealthy legacy of the Divine Nine, selecting the proper gift is about greater than just aesthetics – it’s about celebrating the history, culture and unwavering bonds of Black Greek letter organizations. Whether it’s Founders’ Day, inheritance ceremonyor just to point out like to a valued senior or fraternity brother, a meaningful gift reflects the pride, strength and purpose these organizations embody.
From stylish accessories to memorabilia that captures the essence of those organizations, these Black-owned brands can assist you to honor the spirit of service and sisterhood – or brotherhood – that outline the Divine Nine experience.
Truth 2 Code
Truth 2 Code offers a variety of fashionable accessories for members of the Divine Nine. Adding street style to classic Greek pieces, the True 2 Greek collection allows members to point out off their letters and private style.
Estelle coloured glass
Although they might not be sold as a Greek seller, Estelle coloured glass prepares amazing gifts for members of Greek literary organizations. With a wide selection of coloured glassware designs, consider giving your favorite soror or fraternity brother a set of glasses of their organization’s colours.
DVN
DVN is a Greek clothing brand that hopes to redefine traditional Greek accessories by offering designs that completely fit people’s on a regular basis style. Founded by Danielle Render, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., DVN combines progressive design and meticulous craftsmanship to create jackets, necklaces and custom pieces that allow all D9 members to “represent their affiliations with confidence and authenticity.”
Vontélle Divine glasses collection
Designed for us, Vontélle is a Black woman-owned eyewear brand offering optical frames and sunglasses that complement Black facial expression. Vontélle “Divine” Collection combines the brand’s mission to create better-fitting, vibrant, fashion-forward styles with colours and patterns inspired by historically black sororities and sororities.
Betty Plus promotion
For over 30 years Betty Plus promotion, Black, a family business, is a one-stop shop for Greek accessories, clothing and custom embroidery. Offering deals for every Divine 9 organization, Betty’s Promo Plus offers collections of transition gifts, holiday gifts and more.
Fashionably Greek
Fashionably Greek provides a various range of trendy and customizable clothing options, offering clothes and niknaks for all D9 sororities and choose fraternities (Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi). Its products are perfect for any occasion, from homecoming to social events and even to the office.
University nativity scene
University nativity scene is certainly one of the biggest Greek accessories stores. This Black family-owned business offers a big selection of merchandise for each D9 and non-D9 Black Greek organizations. Customers can shop online or visit a store near Tennessee State University in person.
Macy’s Divine Nine Fraternity and Sorority Collections
Macy’s Divine Nine Brotherhood collection AND Kasper Sorority Collection pay tribute to the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations by offering men’s and girls’s clothing that highlights the distinct colours of every organization. These business-style garments are perfect for members to subtly have fun their affiliation at work events and/or branch meetings.
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