Table 2.

Heat wave threat assessment.

Code	N	Illustrative Quotes
Trend in past 10 years	38	“I think in my own opinion that there’s more.”
Reason for increase
Environmental contaminants	15	“I really don’t know where to recycle my phone, yes there are boxes in various malls and all that, but there are people who say oh, where do I recycle my phone and they throw the batteries in the trash. All that is contaminating since one of the smallest piles contaminates almost 20 L of water. If you throw it in the sea, then. Then I say, wow!”
Global warming/Climate change	10	“Yeah, totally. I mean, it’s global warming. It’s frickin science like um, yeah. Our sea levels are rising, you know, and with all the gases, the greenhouse gases we’re admitting into like our atmosphere now that traps heat in.”
Deforestation and less green space	10	“In the past there were many more trees, even one in each house, but lately they are being cut down. Why? We do not know. Perhaps because the houses are not well given or because. I don’t know yet, because here in our community the trees were previously larger. Lately they are being cut smaller.”
Air pollution	6	“I think that the atmosphere is undergoing changes because of. For all the chemicals. All that pollution that sometimes companies. Or even oneself littering. We are destroying the environment and that is why. That we are already are already feeling it. And I feel that’s why the ozone layer is increasingly sending stronger and stronger sun rays.”
Lack of concern for environment	6	“In other words, sometimes I believe that we are the ones who are destroying our own planet in some way, that we are not taking care of it and that above all we are not teaching our children how to take care of things. So, in that way I think we are affecting the planet, like when sometimes we say why did it get so hot or why is this happening, or why. But we must first start at home. I mean, for example, I didn’t know that eggshells or banana peels could be recycled.”
Overpopulation	5	“You know, there’s a lot of more like people like, everybody is driving in their cars every day and stuff like that, so I feel like all of that, like has an impact on that.”
Wildfires	3	“All the fires have been going on. I feel like there’s been so many more every single year. And it’s just, you know, it’s the pollution is just making it so much more hard.”
Dependence on fossil fuels	2	“I know global warming, I know with the emissions. You know it’s not helping anything. I know specifically with the different things that we’ve done in the classroom that although we are solar and wind and we’re trying to do all these things, we’re still super dependable on fossil fuels.”
New technology	2	“You know, there’s a lot a lot of pollution. There is a lot of new technology that is making it worse. One of those you know that we’re building stuff.”
Anticipated health problems	33	“Physical because if the body is not hydrated, then what is going to happen there? Will you hemorrhage? The kidneys are not going to start working? Internal organs? And that will create health problems in the physical part. In the mental part, since the brain is not sufficiently hydrated, what is going to happen? It is not going to start working. People will have hallucinations and then there will be cases of violence, irritation, dehydration.” “So you see. The elderly and children are the most affected. Ah, yes, heat waves affect them the most. Well, asthma and asthma when people have asthma and the heat, the pollution, all the air, well, that is what goes directly to the lungs and that is what affects them a lot. And then dehydration as well. If you do not hydrate older people or one with children who do not give enough fluid, it can also dehydrate people.”
Concerns about children	13	“Well, my kids sweat a lot. And they get, you know, they get. I guess I call them like they’re extra warm blooded. So, I know I am to worry about if they’re getting water at school, if they’re staying cool, if they’re being provided additional shade at school or they’re being provided cold water or whatnot. So, I do worry about that if I’m not with them.”