Thomas Gillespie in Mirage News—Drought-induced vegetation browning disproportionately affects LA’s disadvantaged communities

In previous studies, the loss of urban greenness has been shown to increase the incidence of mental illness and affect cognitive function in schoolchildren. Extreme heat exacerbated by that loss has been found to correlate with increased crime and other safety issues. Further, the aesthetic value of greenness can have a noticeable effect on mood that is difficult to quantify, said Thomas Gillespie, a UCLA professor of geography and co-author of the paper.