Dear EarthTalk: What is “social housing” and how is it a climate solution? ~ H.N., Milwaukee, WI
A house of one’s own has always been a tenet of the American Dream. Social housing, i.e. government subsidized rental housing, gives many a stepping stone to fulfilling the dream, with manage able price tags and positive environmental impact. Within social housing are two subsects: Public housing is owned by state and local governments; community housing is managed and often owned by non-profit groups.
With the rising demand for housing, lower and middle-class citizens are paying larger rents and mortgages. Social housing’s four pillars target these issues directly. First, the buildings and land are primarily owned by the public, with some properties owned by non-profits. Second, since owners and investors have no profit motive, housing is permanently affordable and protected from market speculation. Third, the communities welcome members of varying socioeconomic classes, with individual rents adjusted for income. Fourth, the neighborhood is led by the residents—a microcosm of democracy.
An added incentive of social housing is its climate-friendliness. Though it may evoke images of rundown structures infested with rats and mold, social housing units, like those built by Seattle Social Housing Developer, by law must follow “passive house” standards, designed to be energy-efficient with balanced ventilation for air control, and high-performance windows with shading for radiation control. The result is 40-60 percent less energy consumed compared to a non-passive house construction. Social housing lowers carbon emissions in many ways. Most structures are built in or near urban areas, allowing residents to walk or take public transit. The proximity to workplaces, schools, stores and other amenities reduces car dependency and, therefore, carbon emissions. Studies show that doubling urban density reduces CO2 emissions from travel and residential energy usage by 48 and 35 percent respectively.
Social housing provides economic and environmental solutions, but trouble with funding and construction hinders progress. And in many cities, social housing is not viable due to zoning laws that forbid structures other than single-family detached homes in the majority of cities and suburbs. Though some organizations are pushing for new construction, Jenny Schuetz, a former Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro, reminds social housing activists that “high-quality subsidized housing needs a long-term commitment, not a brief flirtation.” Existing public housing has been deteriorating due to the lack of public funds for maintenance, so how do we know current undertakings will not end up in similar conditions?
The answer is not clear cut. However, you can do your part by staying informed on the housing crisis and current lawmaker bills concerning real estate. Join initiatives to promote social housing and learn from successful projects like those in Austria, Vienna or Sendero Verde, New York.
MORE INFORMATION: Green New Deal, 350seattle.org/project/green-new-deal-for-social-housing.
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Dear EarthTalk: What’s up with efforts to restore wild salmon to the U.S. West? ~ J.D. via email
Over the past century, wild salmon populations on the U.S. West Coast have declined drastically. In Washington State alone, salmon populations have dropped to as little as five to 10 percent of their historical numbers, according to the Recreation and Conservation Office. In response, efforts to restore them have ramped up as concerns grow about their survival.
Salmon play a crucial role in the environment, supporting ecosystems, fishing industries and Indigenous communities that have depended on them for centuries. But between habitat destruction, overfishing and climate change, the numbers really took a hit. In recent years, there’s been a big push to restore them, with new projects and funding, though overall progress has been inconsistent in certain areas.
One of the biggest problems is that salmon habitats have changed over time. Dams block their migration routes, making it harder for them to reach the places where they spawn. Some projects, such as those on California’s Yuba River, are working on removing barriers or building special passages so salmon can get through easier. Another issue is water temperature—rivers are getting too warm because of climate change and salmon need cold water to survive. In some areas people have been planting more trees along riverbanks to help provide more shade but it’s a slow process. Plus, erosion causes too much dirt in the water which can end up burying salmon eggs before they can hatch.
There’s been a lot more funding lately to help salmon recover, but this isn’t a new effort. Since the 1990s, billions of dollars have been invested in salmon restoration across the Pacific Northwest, with funding from federal, state and tribal governments. In 2023, the U.S. Congress allocated an additional $60 million to support restoration projects, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) leading multi-agency federal efforts to improve wild salmon populations. Some hatcheries are also stepping in, raising salmon to release into the wild, though some scientists worry that hatchery fish might not act like real wild salmon and could mess with natural populations.
But even with all these efforts, salmon still have a lot of problems. Climate change is making rivers drier in some places and flooding in others, which totally throws off their migration. Plus, there’s still a debate over whether big dams should be taken down to let salmon move freely again. Meanwhile, predators like sea lions have been snatching up more salmon lately, making it even harder for the fish to bounce back.
To help, check to see if seafood is sustainably caught, support policies that protect salmon, and volunteer for local conservation projects. And of course, tackling climate change matters, because without fixing bigger environmental issues, salmon recovery will be an uphill battle. There’s a long way to go, but with enough effort, wild salmon could still make a comeback.
MORE INFORMATION: NOAA’s Plan to Save Wild Salmon and Steelhead, fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/endangered-species-conservation/saving-pacific-salmon-and-steelhead.
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Dear EarthTalk: What does the U.N. hope to accomplish by declaring 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and what kinds of activities are in the works? ~ R. Holmes, Anchorage, AK
The United Nations has declared 2025 the “International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation,” a significant step towards preserving glaciers as vital resources. Sulagna Mishra from the World Meteorological Organization stresses the importance of this action to create awareness, change policies and mobilize resources to make sure we have good research that can help us mitigate and adapt to these new changes.
Glaciers are typically located in elevated, cold environments like the Arctic and Greenland. They attract millions of tourists every year, and are also crucial to marine ecosystems and our communities. Many regions of Asia and South America rely on glacial melt to maintain water supply during the year. But climate change is causing rapid glacier melting. According to NASA, Greenland’s glaciers are melting at a rate of 267 billion tons per year, increasing sea level rise and the threat of extreme weather. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, says that alpine glaciers are among “the most sensitive components of the Earth’s systems to global climate change.” This increased melting could cause outburst floods from pools of water beneath glaciers called subglacial lakes, a disaster that has killed over 12,000 people according to an article from The Hill.
The U.N.’s decision to establish 2025 as a year for glacier preservation aims to raise global awareness about the key role of glaciers in our climate and communities. Additionally, the U.N. wants to ensure that those impacted by glacial melting receive the correct services. According to the U.N. General Assembly Resolutions from the 77th session, the U.N. is inviting member states, NGOs, civil societies, and different U.N. organizations to promote public awareness of glaciers through events and educational programs.
The government of Tajikistan decided to host an international conference in 2025 for glacier preservation. Furthermore, the U.N. campaign will develop a trust fund to support research for countries suffering from glacial melt. The fund will receive investments from member states, international organizations, the private sector and NGO’s. The money will help develop monitoring programs and AI management, among other projects. As this issue significantly affects indigenous communities, the U.N. will work with affected groups to better understand and target the issues.
Practicing sustainable actions such as taking public transport, consuming less, and recycling, are all effective in lessening your carbon footprint, and therefore glacial melt. You can also get involved with citizen science, where it is possible to work with local groups to study glacial melts. The U.N. has also made it accessible to plan your own community event or easily attend others. These efforts can make a significant difference!
MORE INFORMATION: U.N. Get Involved, https://www.un-glaciers.org/en/get-involved.
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