Thursday, February 28, 2013  Social Cohesion and Climate Crises
Two articles accessed through discuss the importance of social
cohesion for dealing with climate change and the aftermath of
extreme weather events. Studies of disasters show that living in
a walkable neighbourhood where you have frequent contact with
people on the streets and local businesses promotes the kind of
social network that will support you through a crisis.   By
Sarah Goodyear  When dealing with severe weather events, the
type that climate change is making more common, improved
infrastructure is important. But the social ties of a
neighborhood – the kind of relationships that are nurtured by
trips to the corner coffee shop and chats on the sidewalk –
might prove equally important when it comes to saving lives. In
a New Yorker article this week (behind a paywall), sociologist
Eric Klinenberg looks at the impact that solid, place-based
social networks can have on protecting lives in a natural
disaster. He takes as his example the Chicag