Shady Parts of LA
Our readings this past week or so have been focused on the environment and how it affects and is affected by humans, more often than not in a negative way. We talked about how the sun “denatures” things (yet nature can’t be without it?), about how the presence of too many humans can ruin a place as beautiful as Olas, and about the Santa Anas and the havoc they wreak on the region. Additionally, we’ve read and talked about shade inequity and what neighborhoods in Los Angeles get to have shade and which do not.
After thinking about both of these topics for a while, I began thinking about the possible correlation between shade inequity, the effects of the weather on behavior, and the places in LA with (or associated with) the highest crime rates. So I tried my best to cross-check some data from the LA Times, satellite images from Google Maps, and weather reports.
According to the LA Times’s database for crime reports, the neighborhood with the highest crime ranking is Chesterfield Square, with the #2 ranking being Harvard Park (which is literally the block right next to it). For reference, Pasadena comes in at #113 and La Canada Flintridge at #184 (ranking goes to 189). When I looked at the satellite images of Chesterfield Square and Harvard Park, the amount of shade, or lack thereof, perfectly supported the ideas brought up in the readings we’ve done. In addition, I looked at crimes reported per day in Chesterfield Square and tried to look at when the heat spiked in LA (a couple of weeks in September and October). There wasn’t a drastic increase, but there did seem to be more crimes (robbery, burglary, assault, theft) in the days following a rise in temperature.
Based on this, I have a couple of ideas I want to flush out more...
- What are your thoughts/opinions on the effects of weather on behavior like increased aggressiveness/irritability? Do you agree? Why/why not?
- Is there a correlation (or maybe causation?) between the lack of shade and the areas of LA that we perceive as more violent? Should the city have a responsibility to help dispel the stereotypes? Does it just give a sort of “easy” explanation for crimes in those areas?
- If bad weather like hot winds and heat in general makes people more irritable and perhaps violent, how does good weather affect people’s behaviors? Does it affect it?
If you have any other thoughts/questions about anything I wrote, please include them! My questions got a little long, so you definitely don’t need to answer all of them.
Sources?
The idea that environmental factors such as heat and dry air can result in negative behavioral changes is actually a fairly well documented phenomenon. In his 2018 article appearing in the US National Library of Medicine, occupational and environmental scientist Mare Lohmus summarizes several examples suggesting that "biological mechanisms could, at least partly, explain the existing epidemiological evidence of heatwave-related exacerbation of mental disease". That is, there are biological and pathophysiological explanations for rises in crime and generally abhorrent behavior during waves of extreme heat. We know that whenever sweating and superficial blood flow do not result in adequate heat loss, core body temperature continuously increases; this condition is known as hyperthermia. While heat stroke is the most significant indicator of hyperthermia, patients usually hover around the heat exhaustion and heat cramps phases unless they do nothing to correct their condition. Nonetheless, in any of these medical problems, ALOC, or altered level of consciousness, is almost always present, at least to some extent. While a change in GCS might not even be detectable, most of us can recall times when we've felt lightheaded or "out of it" as a result of prolonged heat exposure. This change in alertness results in diminished motor and cognitive function, to varying degrees. It is therefore no surprise to see that people kinda loose their minds when it suddenly gets, and stays, really hot. In a more recent New York Post article, a study is explained that found that particularly violent types of crime such as carjacking, strong arm robbery, mayhem, sexual battery, and homicide increase with temperature spikes. Furthermore, the article explains that these problems seem to be more obvious and prevalent in poorer communities. This was largely attributed to the fact that many poorer communities live in housing stock built prior to 1949, at a higher rate than their wealthier neighbors. What this means: no air conditioning system. It's unfortunately as simple an explanation as that. People with access to quality A/C can better manage core body temperatures, and are therefore more likely to be able to keep their heads in the midst of a heat wave.
ReplyDeleteFor me, weather definitely has an effect on my mood or behavior. The colder and cloudier, the less productive I feel, and when it is sunny, I feel more energized and happy. This is probably why seasonal depression is actually a thing. I think I agree that the sun can possibly increase aggressiveness/irritability. During summer, when it is in the high 90s, sometimes even 100, I feel like I am easily annoyed. Too much heat can suck all the energy from you, especially when it’s so hot that people sweat just from standing there. There might be a correlation between the lack of shade and the areas of LA that we perceive as more violent; the lack of shade could be a contributing factor, but I don’t think that it is one that should be a priority to look into. The stereotypes definitely do not provide an “easy” explanation for crimes in those areas. Looking into Chesterfield Square, there is a high lack of education in the population; the majority of the residents living there have less than a high school degree. In addition, the median household income is very low for the city of Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteI think weather does affect people’s behavior. Hotter weather seems to make people more irritable and impatient (at least it makes me more irritable and impatient) and I know I am much more calm when I am sitting in the shade. Seasonal depression is something that affects a large portion of the population and is typically connected to “dark” weather (cloudy, rain, fog, overcast weather, etc.), but it also greatly affects people during the hot summer months because of the unbearable heat, so the extremely hot temperatures can affect people’s behavior. It feels almost painful to stand outside while the sun beats down on you. During those hot days, I notice how irritable I become and how impatient I become. I, personally, enjoy cooler temperatures, overcast days, and rainy days, but I think this is because I associate LA's sunny days with extreme heat. I think there is a connection between the lack of shade in the areas of LA that we perceive as more violent because a minor inconvenience of one town is a daily obstacle for another town. I decided to look up the relation between stress and heat and I came across one study that discovered a correlation between the two. The scientists found that cortisol (a stress hormone) is lower in the winter but rises as the temperature rises, causing the body to react to a supposed “stressful situation” (increased heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, suppressed immune system, etc.). The scientists also found a connection between high temperatures, increased cortisol levels, and increased crime rates. Another thing I have noticed during the hot summer months is my lack of sleep, which can contribute to my worsened mood. I think that good weather can affect people’s behavior partly because of a simple saying. When I come to school and the weather is nice and someone says that today’s weather is so good, I feel much better. By acknowledging that the weather is good, I feel happier and I am in a much better mood.
ReplyDeleteI think these observations are incredibly interesting; it's so common for Americans to reference Los Angeles as the epitome of “good weather,” but issues like shade inequity in Los Angeles proves this general stereotype more complex. I also think this is interesting because, growing up in Pasadena, I never really thought about the issue of shade as an issue of equality/inequality. In the house I grew up in, the backyard ended in a wash, so there was a lot of greenery and trees around this area. I grew up with the privilege of mature, green trees all around me, which I realize now is not the reality for most who live in Los Angeles. After having learned about the issues of shade inequity, I think the research correlating rise in heat and drops in shade with higher crime rates makes sense. I think there are also many other factors that have to do with this correlation though. We learned in class that lower income neighborhoods are often given less access to shade by cities and large institutions, and in some cases, city governments even hesitate to plant trees out of fear of creating shelter in a place where they don’t want to create shelter. This fear of creating shelter by planting trees is unfortunate and cruel, but it happens all the time because it's more convenient for the city. I can’t say for sure if good weather affects people on a macro level, but personally, good weather definitely affects me. I imagine the changes in weather affect all populations in similar ways; the things that are different are the resources provided for different communities to deal with environmental issues.
ReplyDeleteI do think that weather can have a big impact on the behavior of someone. For example, when it's super hot outside, people may feel really tired, irritable, or annoyed. If it's super cold outside, people may feel uncomfortable or miserable. Also, if you have no shade, fans, or refuge where you can cool down from the heat, I would assume that people would feel even more annoyed. The weather can really impact someone’s mood. For example, when it's super rainy and cloudy I tend to feel less happy and energetic. However, when it's sunny and warm outside I tend to feel happy and energized.
ReplyDeleteThere could be a correlation between the lack of shade and the areas of LA where there tends to be more crime; however, to be honest, I have no idea how to prove that.
I think good weather can make people feel joyful and more adventurous. I know for me, when it's sunny outside, I tend to want to go enjoy nature, walk around my neighborhood, or explore different parts of the city. Good weather tends to have a positive impact on me and my energy level.
I think weather definitely has an impact on how people act, and all of the research you did about crime rates in places where heat is more intense due to a lack of shade is really interesting - I know that I feel more irritable and punchy when the temperatures rise, but I had never considered that the general public feels that way or what implications that would have on various crime rates. Now that I'm thinking more about it, the affiliations between warm weather and negative behavior have clearly been around for a while. As we've been reading, the hot, dry, Santa Ana winds have long been linked with increases in erratic and violent behavior by both people and wildlife. I think areas in LA that lack shade do so because they have been built to be urban areas, whether that means with large amounts of housing or businesses or various forms of infrastructure. I'm not sure it is a neighborhood's job to remedy crime by way of adding shade, but I think there are plenty of ways to provide shade to areas without necessarily having to have the room to add green space. That being said, there's no way of knowing if adding shade will provide a viable solution to any crime or violence issues that have been developing.
ReplyDeleteThe connection Kylie made between bad/hot weather and the increased frequency of aggressive behavior and/or criminal activity made me wonder if the same characterization could be made for serial killers. I was particularly curious to see if serial killers tended to murder more frequently in the summertime (when there was bad/hot weather) as compared to other seasons. After doing a little bit of research into the respective murder dates of the victims of infamous American serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, there appears to be no clear trend of increased frequency of murder during the summertime. However, in writing down these observations, it dawned on me that I had been approaching this investigation with an incredibly LA-centric view of the world of weather: whereas LA’s “bad” weather season could be seen as the part of the year with the highest temperatures (August-October), other cities in America could certainly see the months of August-October as having rather pleasant, cool fall weather. So I started to try my best to take the location of the murders into consideration when doing these investigations into Bundy and Dahmer’s respective frequency of murder throughout the year. Bundy had no real pattern to his murders; they were all relatively spread out over the course of a year (averaging about 1 per month for the years he was active). Jeffrey Dahmer also didn’t meet Kylie’s characterization: his murder timeline was very similar to Bundy’s in its relatively constant month-to-month frequency, save for a cluster of summer murders in 1991.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this investigation wasn’t very successful in providing supporting evidence for Kylie’s claim, it’s important to note that both Bundy and Dahmer never killed anyone in Los Angeles, let alone California. So, my hypothesis as of right now is that LA’s weather patterns are so unique that they affect the city’s inhabitants (and induce criminal behavior) in ways unlike any other place in the US.
It is difficult for me to answer the first question because I do not keep track of the Santa Ana winds. I never know when they are blowing and when they aren't blowing. Therefor, I can't accurately say that the Santa Ana winds have any correlation with a rise in aggressive and neurotic behavior in humans. Based on the reading we have done in class though, a lot of people do believe that the Santa Ana winds are a catalyst for the rise of human irritability. Personally, I have had no experience with the winds putting me in a bad or irritable mood.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that there is a correlation between the lack of shade and violence. Heat tends to cause people to become more exhausted which is then followed by increased sensitivity and irritability. With a lack of places to shade oneself from the hot sun, it becomes easy for people to become victims to the heat. In the book the Great Gatsby, the chapter with the highest amount of tension and anger uses imagery of the sun and heat as a way to further propagate the tense feeling of the situation the characters are in. People have accepted that heat adds tension to our daily lives and causes people to act more aggressively. Where there is less shade, there is more contact with the sun.
Although people tend to be able to agree on what bad weather is, people have difficulty on deciding what good weather is. For example, I love the rain, and I also love cool breezes. Many people hate this type of weather because they find it "gloomy" and "uncomfortable". For that reason, I don't think that good weather puts people in a good mood because everyone has different ideas about what good weather is.
The effects weather has on behavior has always been an interest of mine. In particular, when I read an article about how constant gloomy weather could drive someone into a state of depression. I thought that there was no way that the weather could have such an impact on someone's behavior, but after some reflection, I came to realize that the weather has affected me and others alike. However, I don’t think that the weather could have such a direct correlation with crime rights. I think that’s a correlation vs causation issue.
ReplyDeleteI think that there being a lack of shade in the areas of LA that we perceive as more violent is in no way correlated. I think the shade is seen as a privilege in Los Angeles and only those with the financial means can afford to have access to this luxurious shade. With more financially stable communities comes less crime and this is where the actual correlation is apparent. In less financially stable communities comes less crime and in those lower-income neighborhoods, there are fewer trees to provide shade.
I think good weather has a negligible effect on people's behavior when compared to bad weather. I think bad weather is the thing that can turn someone's average day into a bad day or bad day into a terrible day, but good weather just doesn’t hold that same power.
Weather definitely has an effect on the way I feel. Any "extreme" weather that makes me uncomfortable makes me irritable compared to how I would be on a day with good weather. I also notice the same pattern with the people around me. I think a good example would be how people act on rainy days in LA. No one knows what to do (especially when driving) because it is a rare occurrence. People get confused and angry because they are dealing with something they are not used to.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do see a correlation between weather/temperature and mood I don't think it should be used as a catch all explanation for crime in certain areas. I think it has much more to do with socioeconomic inequities between communities and the lack of attention toward and support provided for people with less money. I remember reading in one of our shade articles about how the city won't plan for shade or parks in certain areas because they think that "sketchy" things occur in the shade or hidden areas created by trees and brush. But obviously, crime is happening in these areas so will shade really create more crime? or will it provide space to avoid crime, or create outdoor space where the community can feel comfortable and included? I think it is the responsibility of the community and the city to try to find solutions to dispelling stereotypes and a first step toward doing so is to provide safe spaces for people and communities to grow and seek comfort.
I know that weather and temperature certainly has an effect on my mood, and I assume the same is true of others. I personally have a very difficult time handling the often intense sun of Southern California and find myself drained by the oppressive heat. In that regard, some of the articles we have read have resonated with me. However, I have never noticed myself becoming more aggressive or irritable because of the sun. That is not to say it doesn’t happen, but I have never thought about it before. I suppose I will in the future.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that there is any easy explanation for the correlation between shade and crime in Los Angeles. I think that the idea that lack of shade causes more crime or that areas with high crime rates have stereotypes that somehow justify a lack of shade falls somewhere in the cyclical stages of stereotype and internalization. I think the city always has a responsibility to serve its citizens. Whether that means dispelling stereotypes or taking steps to rectify shade inequity, I certainly think there are steps to be taken and solutions to be found. Whether that is a plausible reality, or something that the city would like to do is a completely different question.
I think that certainly there is a correlation between good weather and good moods. I think that when the weather is nice, more people are outside, and subsequently in a better mood. I think that the weather can instantly and sometimes subconsciously impact someone's mood. I think everyone has different preferences for weather so it has a different impact on everyone, but I do think there is an effect.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do not think that weather is the biggest factor in whether an individual gets irritated or not but I do think it can further a person's irritation if it is already there. For example, if I am already in a bad mood and it is an insanely hot day than it could add onto it however I would never get in a bad mood just because it is hot; it is more of an inconvenience. I do believe that places with less shade are perceived to be more violent however I think it is more due to financial reasons than the weather. As we know, trees are very expensive so in neighborhoods with more money, more trees are able to get planted. In the places we perceive as “violent”, there is a lack of trees and shade due to the city not being able to afford this luxury.