Climate change and extreme weather changes are some of the top concerns among environmental experts.
In recent years, the Midwest has seen issues with extreme flooding. Executive Director for the Environmental Resilience Institute at IU Gabe Filippelli said these weather events will continue if action isn’t taken.
“The wacky weather that we have now, these wacky climate fueled storms and droughts, they’re here to stay and how much worse they get will depend on how much we continue emitting these fossil fuels,” Filippelli said.
LISTEN TO: Air pollution, rising temperatures, and more have many asking what can we do
Filippelli said issues with overheating, particularly in cities due to the more heat absorbing materials used to help build them, are also a factor. He says the Environmental Resilience Institute began its “Beat the Heat” program to help cool down these areas.
“Well, the cooling down is usually by the old-fashioned way of increasing the amount of 'green space,' increasing the urban forests covering those areas and you will cool them down very quickly,” Filippelli said. “These are among the biggest challenges for Indiana and the Midwest.”
Filippelli said he is optimistic about the progress being made and the collective concern for the need for environmental action.
