🔥 Cities heat up

Plus: Worker surveillance | Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By ADM   Axios What's Next By Alex Fitzpatrick, Jennifer A. Kingson and Joann Muller · Sep 27, 2022 How is the threat of rising heat affecting people's decisions about where to live? So far it doesn't seem to be a factor, Alex and Axios data journalist Erin Davis report today. Axios and Noticias Telemundo invite you to join us virtually for the inaugural Axios Latino Visionarios event on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. Register here to livestream sessions. Today's newsletter is 880 words ... 3½ minutes.     1 big thing: The biggest cities are getting hotter Note: "Areas" are defined as Core-Based Statistical Areas, which are one or more socioeconomically tied counties anchored by an urban center. "Very hot" days are those with a high at or above the 1991-2020 95th percentile temperature for each given area. Data: U.S. Census, NOAA; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Almost all of the fastest-growing major metro areas across the U.S. are getting significantly hotter, and many are also at risk for other natural disasters, Alex Fitzpatrick and Erin Davis report. Why it matters: These long-term population trends will strain cities' water supplies, power grids and other utilities, and put a lot of Americans at risk of heat-related health issues. Details: 9 of the 10 fastest-growing urban areas in the U.S. have seen an increase in the number of "very hot" days between 1991 and 2020. We defined "very hot" days as those with a high temperature in the top 5% ever recorded for that particular city. By the numbers: Las Vegas, Austin and Raleigh grew the fastest between 1991-2020, and have had increases in "very hot" days of 115%, 553% and 59%, respectively. McAllen, Texas, has seen a staggering 724% hike in "very hot" days, while its population grew by 118%. Fayetteville, Arkansas, is the only one of the 10 fastest-growing cities that got cooler, with 33% fewer "very hot" days. What's next: Some cities, like Phoenix, are hiring "chief heat officers" and finding creative ways to keep the mercury down. The Arizona capital is aiming to build 100 "cool corridors" by the end of the decade to reduce hyperlocal temperatures and is using specialized paint to cool roads. Between the lines: Americans are flocking to cities with a high risk of inhospitable conditions. In Florida, for example, populations are booming up and down the state's coasts, where hurricanes are an annual threat. Miami has already struggled to keep pace with rising floodwaters. Houston is also at risk for hurricanes. Parts of Southern California face large and growing threats from wildfires. And drought is an issue across the American West and elsewhere. The big picture: This data is a sign that extreme heat isn't yet factoring into people's decisions about where to live or raise their families, despite the risks that high temperatures can bring. Share this story.     2. Workers under watch Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   Worker surveillance technology is growing popular in the white-collar world, Axios' Emily Peck reports. Why it matters: We're all still figuring out the appropriate boundaries and norms in remote and hybrid work. What's happening: The number of employers who use some kind of worker surveillance has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Gartner's vice president of HR research told the Wall Street Journal. Yes, but: There isn't clear data showing that monitoring actually increases productivity, as the Journal reports. However, studies do show that monitoring increases worker stress and absenteeism. Workers also game these systems — some buy "mouse jigglers" to make it seem like they're working while away from their desks, for instance. The bottom line: Trust is a key ingredient in the boss-worker relationship. Obsessive monitoring does not typically foster that connection. Read the rest.     3. More machine than man, now Darth Vader at Oakland Coliseum in 2015. Photo: Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group   The 91-year-old James Earl Jones is taking a step back from voicing legendary Star Wars villain Darth Vader in favor of AI-based vocal re-creation, Alex reports. Why it matters: It's the latest example of AI and other tech filling in for human actors. Disney and others have used computer-generated graphics and other tech to "de-age" living actors or re-create the likenesses of those who've passed away, like Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing. Details: The news comes by way of Vanity Fair, which reports that Jones served as a "benevolent godfather" while a Ukrainian firm worked to digitally re-create Vader's voice for "Obi-Wan Kenobi," one of Disney's latest Star Wars shows, using archival recordings. Alex's thought bubble: I was a big fan of "Kenobi" and could never have told you Vader's voice was AI-generated — a sign that this tech is definitely ready for primetime.     A message from ADM Packaging for a more sustainable tomorrow     ADM is aiming to make packaging more sustainable through innovative plant-based solutions. Why it's important: Environmental impact must remain a priority if we hope to achieve a more sustainable future. Learn how ADM is helping to reduce environmental footprints.     4. 📸 Battery bot Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images   A robot lifts a battery as it's installed on the frame of a Ford electric F-150 Lightning truck at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. The Lightning has been a huge hit for Ford, helping it emerge as a major force in electric vehicles. Rivals like GM have their own, similar offerings on the way, as competition among automakers and government incentives spur a new generation of high-quality EVs. Yes, but: Ford is apparently having trouble getting enough blue "Ford" oval badges to affix to the front of its cars, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.     5. Hurricane forces Artemis rollback NASA's Artemis I rocket on launch pad at Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 2 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images   NASA is rolling its Artemis 1 rocket back to the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to protect it from incoming Hurricane Ian, Alex reports. Why it matters: It's yet another delay for what would be the first flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule. While this first mission will be uncrewed, NASA aims to fly astronauts back to the moon aboard SLS and Orion in the next few years. Details: At the time of writing, rollback was planned to begin at 11 p.m. local time Monday. Ian became a hurricane Monday morning and is expected to make landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast later this week. The Kennedy Space Center is on Florida's Atlantic coast, but the threat of high winds and other issues forced NASA's hand. What they're saying: "The decision allows time for employees to address the needs of their families and protect the integrated rocket and spacecraft system," NASA said in a statement. What's next: It's looking increasingly likely that Artemis won't launch until late October, at the earliest.     A message from ADM The future of packaging has to be sustainable     Packaging is an integral part of our daily lives but the environmental impact of the things we buy is a growing problem for the health of the planet. The goal: ADM is pioneering innovative plant-based solutions to help make paper and other packaging materials more sustainable. Learn more.   A hearty thanks to today's What's Next copy editor Lisa Hornung. Was this email forwarded to you? Get your daily dose of What's Next by signing up here for our free newsletter. Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: