Texas’ Climate Crisis

When winter weather is a human disaster

For the past several days, my mind has been racing with thoughts of Texas. I grew up in Houston, calling it home until I left for college at eighteen. Like all Texans, my family has weathered our share of storms. We lost power for weeks during Hurricane Ike and later lost our home to Hurricane Harvey. While hurricanes like these are brutal, they are an expected part of life in Texas, but this winter storm feels different.

My parents’ home lost power on Tuesday. They had no internet, no electricity, and no water. They ran their gas stove to stay warm, putting themselves at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. They had nowhere to go because the whole state is affected, and this disaster is compounded by the ongoing dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, the building that stored Moderna vaccines lost power on Monday. When backup generators also failed, the vaccines had to be distributed immediately at local hospitals. While it is a relief that these vaccines were administered, the urgency of the situation did not leave time for planning or prioritization. Many of these shots were given to people at lower risk, rather than more vulnerable populations. My dad is in his 60s and had open-heart surgery about a year ago. He’s at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 and therefore one of the people to have had a vaccination shot scheduled. With all that’s happening, we don’t know how that vaccination has been affected.

The emergency in Texas is not a natural disaster. It is a human disaster, caused by climate change and political negligence. It is the result of policies and systems that promote profit over people’s livelihoods. The deregulation of the power grid has allowed companies to profit from this disaster rather than preparing appropriately for it. Low-income neighborhoods, seniors, and POC have been disproportionately impacted by this disaster, while Ted Cruz and his family have escaped to Cancun. We should all be enraged by this situation.

Fortunately, my parents got their power back late Wednesday afternoon. At this point, they still do not have water. My parents are among the luckiest residents in Texas. Their story is one of the best-case scenarios. Some people are literally freezing in their own homes. Some have died of carbon monoxide poisoning while trying to stay warm. Some have been exposed to COVID-19 while seeking relief.

If you are in a position to offer support, I hope you will. If you are horrified by these events, I hope you won’t let yourself slip into apathy. There is a current need for immediate relief, but there is also an ongoing need for systemic change. Climate change is real, and future climate disasters are coming. We need people in leadership who can handle that reality.