Thursday | October 22 | 7–8:45 PM

📍 Van Metre Hall, George Mason University's Mason Square (Arlington) Campus

3351 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22201

🚇 Metro accessible via the Virginia Square–GMU station on the Orange Line

Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the United States, but the risks are not shared equally. Buildings, pavement, and other hard surfaces absorb and retain heat, creating urban heat islands that can make temperatures vary significantly from one neighborhood to another. These higher temperatures can increase heat-related illness, worsen existing health conditions, and place the greatest burden on residents with the fewest resources to stay safe and cool.

As temperatures in Northern Virginia continuously rise, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) staff, board, and volunteers began asking:

• Why does it feel so hot today?
• How does extreme heat affect our health, and what can we do about it?
• Can trees, cool roofs, and solar canopies make our homes and communities safer and cooler?

Following these questions, FACS launched the Urban Heat Island Mapping Project, an environmental justice and citizen science initiative in partnership with George Mason University’s Virginia Climate Center. More than 80 dedicated citizen scientists helped map extreme heat across Fairfax County, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria in July as part of the first phase of this project.

Join us for our 10th annual Climate Crisis Forum as we examine the public health consequences of extreme heat and explore local solutions in Northern Virginia.