Why a single tree does the work of several air conditioners
On the hottest afternoon of the summer downtown, temperatures varied by more than 4 degrees between neighborhoods in the same district. The cooler places had one simple thing in common: lots of big trees.
Shade and Transpiration
Trees cool a city in two ways. First, their broad leaves block sunlight and keep the ground and walls from heating up. Then they release water drawn up by the roots through their leaves, carrying heat away from the surroundings. Researchers explain that one well-grown tree does the work of several small air conditioners.
Planting trees on every street is cooler than building one big park.
An urban planning researcher
A City Linked by Trees
- Dense street trees work better than one large park
- Protecting mature trees comes before planting saplings
- Leave the soil under trees uncovered so it can breathe
- Add greenery to rooftops and walls too
An urban forest does not appear overnight, so the trees we plant now will decide what summer feels like ten years from now. On today’s walk, why not count how much shade your own street has?
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