Cities are getting too hot to handle. TREES help us survive.

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The Urban Heat Island Effect is making cities too hot. Urban Trees are one of the best mitigation strategies we have according to Dr. Vivek Shandas. With extreme heat waves in Europe, Asia, the United States and beyond, it’s clear climate change is making summers more dangerous and deadly. Urban areas are feeling the worst effects; a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. 2022 saw high temperatures in Kansas, Spain, Portugal, England (especially London), and India. But even within cities, the warming is not distributed evenly. During the Pacific Northwest heat dome of 2021, the region's most extreme heat wave ever, this temperature difference reached a staggering 25°F between neighborhoods in Portland, OR. And new research is illuminating how a century of racist housing policies known as redlining have contributed to this often deadly inequality.
The 2022 heat waves are not single events. They are another data point during years of escalating extreme weather. Previously, the 2019 European heat wave, the 1980 US heat wave, 1995 Chicago heat wave and many more are part of this trend.
In this episode we are going to dive into this unjust history of housing discrimination and see what it can teach us about how to keep cities cooler and save lives. We’ll visit Richmond, Virginia and Portland, Oregon to understand the problem and solutions. Innovative solutions are being carried out at the Science Museum of Virginia and by the Portland organization, Friends of Trees.
Weathered is a show hosted by weather expert Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare.
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[@_A4A]

I live in Portland, Oregon and our family during the 119° degree heat wave, went out and bought 40 giant biodegradable bowls and went around the entire neighborhood and filled them all with ice & water. There was so much wildlife drinking from them, that by the time we placed the last bowl out and cycled back to the first one we placed out, it was BONE DRY!... We continued this process for 4 days straight until the heat wave calmed down. I wonder how much wildlife we helped save in the process, because there was absolutely no water around for them to drink and we made sure to place the bowls in the shade as well!...

[@fixitright9709]

Just don't stop keep it up you're doing the right thing

[@debrawolf8458]

God bless you.

[@sidstovell2177]

Heroes!! Very best wishes.

[@Beef-bullion]

You put plastic in the soil

[@Jacob_Overby]

@@Beef-bullion it's in our rainwater now, it doesn't matter much anymore

[@inelouw]

Anyone who's ever walked through a city instead of driving already knows this. When it's hot, you avoid wide streets and parking lots like the plague. I will gladly take a 15 minute detour if it means walking through a shaded area instead of an asphalt desert.

[@RobertMJohnson]

so 10 years ago cities were the greenest locations on Earth and now they need to be adjusted?

[@ehombane]

it is obvious that asphalt zones are hotter. And the guy measured the air at 2 meters But he measured the air ignored the infrared radiation. I was not aware about the infrared radiation till I bought an infrared panel. And everything is radiating in infrared, but intensity counts. So, I am in the house at about 24 degrees Celsius and I am hot. Fully clothed will be quite uncomfortable. But outside in open area the same temperature, clothed is quite fine. I always knew this and I assumed that is the breeze. But even when is not windy is the same. And obviously indoors there are a lot of walls, concrete in my case, and they radiate in infrared. Out in the open will be only the pavement, no ceiling, no walls. And I assume that trees does not radiate as much as a concrete or glass facade, and this helps along with the actual temperature of the air.

[@chaoscarl8414]

@@RobertMJohnson Speaking for my own city... Yes, it does need to be adjusted. Over the last decade it has undergone a frighteningly rapid change. Major roads are getting expanded to ease traffic and major population centers are much more densely packed than they used to be. Roads that used to have rows of trees running along them are now barren asphalt hellscapes. And the small pockets of green that used to dot the city are gone too, replaced by high-rise buildings. The only shade that's left is that given by the buildings themselves, so you're forced to plan your route to follow the shade, rather then going straight from a to b. I'll often take a good 10 - 15 minutes longer walking home from work in the afternoon because I have to take a detour to follow the shade, and has to allow time for small breaks to cool down and drink a bit of water. To make matters worse, as the average temperature keep rising, it's not only the days that are getting hotter. So too are the nights. And all that asphalt and concrete, baking in the sun as there are no more trees to offer any shade, doesn't have time to release all the heat stored up during the day. In other words: the city has turned into a heat trap.

[@raapyna8544]

@@ehombane Infrared radiation = another name for heat

[@ehombane]

@@raapyna8544 OK, I will rephrase. The guy measure the heat of the air but forgot to measure the heat(Of the pavement and facades, for those who did not got the joke.). I assume that is much clearer now :))

[@zeideerskine3462]

As a German I can say that hanging your laundry out to dry rather than using tumble driers on hot days makes a difference as do green roofs where residents can grow vegetables on the roofs of apartment buildings. Planting a fruit or nut tree for every birth and wedding makes a huge difference, too. Having smaller and cutely designed buses that run more frequently and are hydrogen powered is a common thing in Europe and everybody grows something on their balconies. Some European towns and cities have started building biogas power plants and gray water separation for watering city greenery. The tree planting for weddings and births actually goes back to medieval law.

[@tomfields3682]

In some US suburbs it's illegal to have a backyard clothesline.

[@wvmann9320]

That's really neat. As an American of German descent I should start doing this. My girlfriend and I do container vegetables along our driveway in a townhouse development. Our limited space is full of life.

[@garyssimo]

You Germans are a wonderful example if the rest of the world would wake up and Follow.

[@garyssimo]

I drive an EV since 2015 and had no kids. Plant trees paint roofs white and fix ferals. Also mostly plant based diet.

[@burnyizland]

This is part of my strategy in Canada. I also dry clothes outside and in addition we only wash clothes in cold water, cook and wash dishes outside, minimize use of lights and computers inside, and we use shade and lower temperature times of the day to open doors and windows when cool and close and keep in the cool before the temperature rises above comfortable. When my family behaves we rarely ever need to use air conditioning- usually only after 5 or 6 days of continuous high temperatures with no evening cooldown. Heaven help the person who leaves the bathroom door open after showering or the front door open after it's gone above 18C though, there'll be hell to pay! I love your idea of planting trees for milestone occasions. If only I owned instead of renting.

[@cmorea]

In Kansas City, Missouri, the Mayor declared a “climate emergency” but they went ahead with a road-widening project in the suburban Red Bridge area that is doubling the road surface area and required the removal of two dozen mature trees. I never heard anyone ask for that, though there has been concern about a dangerous intersection at one end of the project area. The dangerous aspect of that intersection will not be changed, however. I think it shows that bureaucratic and political inertia are virtually unstoppable forces.

[@mrmaniac3]

Road widenings allow for two things to happen. An increase in the amount of cars, and the increase in dangerous road conditions. It doesn't alleviate congestion, it doesn't make the roadway safer, and it sure as hell doesn't make the surrounding environment remotely liveable.

[@sc00biedoo]

Is it that project on Wornall and Red Bridge? I live in Midtown and wasn't even aware of it until I had to pass through there recently.

[@veritorossi]

Urban planning in North America is horrible. It's car centered and not human centered. To combate things like what this video s talking about you have to change the way urban areas are designed. Walkability is key. Integrate comercial and residential areas. Like Europe, like my own Buenos Aires. We get really hot in summer but our city is full of trees. It can improve but as for urban design, I much prefer to live in Buenos Aires than Houston, LA, etc.

[@cmorea]

@@sc00biedoo Yes. Red Bridge Road between Wornall and Holmes.

[@adrianc6534]

amazing leadership from the GOP. i am sure some lobbyist paid them a lot of money to approve this project.

[@suzettehenderson9278]

I would also suggest a quick way to create more shade for sidewalks, bus stops, etc., pergolas with vining plants. Trees can take a long time to grow to a significant height before they add much shade, but some well planned pergolas could offer shade in the first year. Pergolas can also be made out of scraps and recycled materials. Also the science museum, thumbs up on the parking garage and added green space, but missed opportunity on the top floor of the garage: raised solar panels. Solar panels that are raised can offer shade to the cars below, generate energy for the museum while being a museum exhibit in itself. As new tech comes along add or change out some of the panels and demonstrate inside the differences and how they function.

[@infocat13]

Imagine walking down the sidewlk with Kiwi fruitdangling over your head:)

[@hobog]

Could do with cultural diet reducing car primacy too

[@kasondaleigh]

Excellent ideas!

[@andywomack3414]

Placing solar energy structures as well as trees as a means of providing shade is a great idea. Make it a distributed power system that those located near the source of the power use that power. I live in a region that consistently has highs in upper 90'sF with intense sun. I always seek out shade to park my car, even if it means a short walk in the heat. Imagine if every parking place in that Big Box lot had some shade.

[@suzettehenderson9278]

@@andywomack3414 Exactly!

[@sparklessyd88]

This is vitally important information that needs to be taken seriously by the government. Side note, I will watch every video this lady does. She is great at this.

[@pbsterra]

Awwhhh, thanks! Really appreciate you watching and letting us know. What would you like to see us cover in future episodes???

[@colinfrederick2603]

@@pbsterra Has there been science exploring the value of shade in a tree, vs the ‘specific heat’ that the trees’ moisture provides as a way to keep things cool? I have a feeling that shade is just one factor, and it’s probably not the biggest!

[@sparklessyd88]

Would love to see a video on how the Inflation Reduction Act will directly help these communities! A mini series on what the average person could tangibly do to prepare for the changing climate would be pretty cool too. ☺️

[@harperl2]

@@pbsterra did the IRA Bill recently passed often any solutions to this??

[@SaraMartinez-nc3xu]

@@pbsterra We’d like to see some ideas for homeowner solutions. We’re rewilding the front yard, adding native, drought tolerant pollinator plants, and shade trees. We’re interested in learning more about greywater systems and natural pools and how they contribute to landscaping and biodiversity. Hugelkultur, as well. Thanks!

[@BrokeredHeart]

I've explained this to my city councilor about the area where I live. The main street nearest my neighborhood is a barren wastescape of sidewalks, parking lots, and AC-chugging strip malls for over 10 km (I live in Canada). In the winter, the wind rips right through without anything to block the airflow, causing snow drifts, and it's exposed to ice, so they overload the streets with road salt which is really harmful to pet paws, snow boots, grass, and the overall water quality as it drains into the sewers. In the summer, it's a furnace, with no place to hide from the sun, and the heat reflecting off the pavement and the buildings. There's a recent plan to "rejuvenate" the strip along this road, but any of the plans I've seen are car and business oriented, not pedestrian or resident friendly. Knowing that a lot of people in the area don't drive, and that there's plenty of senior living accommodations around, we can't go out during the day for fear of getting heat stroke. What really bothers me is the proposal to widen the road, adding more lanes and a central buffer, not for tree planting or sun shade, but to erect lightposts and to keep the flow of traffic from trying to merge or turn left unless at major intersections. Why not develop at least something like parasols, or add more planting to the landscape buffers? Why does everything in the city revolve around cars and trucks! Cities were designed for PEOPLE, not those driving through it.

[@slevinchannel7589]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5SZmImeqZ52fLM

[@YeshuaKingMessiah]

Obviously cities were not Theyre tax bases, attracting commerce to deepen that tax revenue which lines the politicians coffers to enable paybacks for favors they actively court And THAT is why cities function as they do The love of money Ppl and their needs are far down the list for a politician

[@talideon]

When this started, I guessed "it's going to be trees", and bingo! Too much asphalt and too few trees are always close to the root of issues like these. Making neighbourhoods walkable and adding tree cover are the two most important things that can be done, but both of those require those with means to treat other humans with humanity.

[@andywomack3414]

Also requires public investment. That requires public taxation. Since Ronald Reagan convinced both political parties that taxes are evil and private investment will give us a better life, we no longer have the public means to transform our society to those goals and treat other humans with humanity. More asphalt, more cars, more drilling for gas and oil, yea, prosperity, that odor from the refinery and the dead fish in the river smells like money.

[@talideon]

@@andywomack3414 It would actually be cheaper than the current way things are done.

[@weenisw]

@@talideon cheaper for the collective but less profitable for the greedy. The greedy use those Reagan politics to convince enough of the collective to keep the status quo, against the collective’s own interest

[@TanyaOwens]

In TX trying to get folks to build high speed rail and get off the roads is met with resistance. They build wider and wider roads and then cry why are we flooding. They resist any green technology - but continue relying on Oil and Gas and chemical plants spewing god knows what into the air. -- until people change behaviors things will get much worse

[@MumblesZombie]

Have you seen a recent shot of earth? .... everything is dead and dying. You can see it from space.

[@usaslastresort1126]

Something about this video is so different than every other video on KZbin. The delivery of facts I didn’t know, the honesty. Please make this the future of KZbin.

[@moctezumaaleg2008]

nah 4:06 using fake words bro Latinx tf is that.

[@raapyna8544]

@@moctezumaaleg2008 It's the same as Latino/Latina

[@renbakes5083]

@@moctezumaaleg2008a single word is enough to turn you off?

[@DenizenoftheAges]

This is incredibly useful information. As a Geography scientist with a focus on land-use planning, this is imperative. Imagine how much street parking could be de-paved and green-rendered if all existing public parking lots converted to multi-story, green-built parking complexes?

[@RyanWalshGuitar]

I'm happy you got a lot out of this episode! We're hoping this episode is able to encourage that kind of development all over the country.

[@pbsterra]

Yep, and certainly reducing the number of cars per person requires less parking so improving public transit, bike infrastructure... so many good solutions! Thanks for your comment. What sort of land-use planning do you do? It's such an important field!!

[@DenizenoftheAges]

@@pbsterra urban growth planning is my forte, but I would be remiss to not think about the heart of a community.

[@b_uppy]

This video is ignoring the more impactful, harmful practice of centralized stormwater runoff management that dries out the landscape. Poorer neighborhoods struggle with community water bills. The city should incorporate trees, bioswales, curb cuts etc to allow people to safely increase soil moisture. This supports the growth of trees in yards and the grassy areas between sidewalks and street curbs to support cheaper regreening and less burdensome associated costs. I have seen areas where extraneous areas of 'suicide lanes' were replaced with trees watered by street runoff. This added beauty, shade, cooling transpiration, added to the life of the paving, etc.

[@DenizenoftheAges]

@@b_uppy That was what I meant by depaving street parking and building multi-story parcades over existing full parking lots. Increase the green on the street that way.

[@X.L.B1]

I lived in Phoenix for the past two years. The states already know how to reduce temps, because they do in nicer neighborhoods, you can feel it. They just choose not to in poorer neighborhoods.More trees, less pavements and more man made ponds. It’s truly environmental warfare and a reason why I truly had hate for state legislatures. It’s not the wealthy peoples fault but I found myself hating them too. It truly is blatant.

[@adrianc6534]

politicians dont live in poor neighborhoods, so why would they care? the greed of our government, especially the GOP, will be the demise of all of us. even rich neighborhoods cannot escape the drought and famine that will ensue due to their negligence.

[@chadwick8193]

I think it's not the state government going out of their way to make poorer neighborhoods hotter. Rather, the wealthy can afford to "furnish" their neighborhoods with trees, and the newest ways to reduce heat. Things like a nice landscape increase property value, thus making it harder for the poor. Like, Californian developers have been buying up large parts of Arizonan real estate and increasing prices. It's more to do with the wealthy buying property en mass, and mass immigration from other states (namely California) driving up the cost of living. How are the poor going to buy, and develop property with no money? The state should do more for the poor, but when they attack the poor, it's usually eminent domain like the rest of the country.

[@Jeff-mv2vm]

You should hate the rich people. Who do you think the government caters to?

[@Just4AZ1]

Go do something about it. Go down to the poorer neighborhoods and start planting trees. Ppl want the government to take care of everything and everyone.

[@xaviercopeland2789]

@@adrianc6534 the Democrats are even worse, which is why most rich people subscribe to their policies after all.

[@kellydalstok8900]

This spring and summer my town had a temporary art project called “Bosk”. It consisted of more than 1,000 trees in large wooden crates that slowly “wandered” through the town centre for four months. The streets with the trees in them were pleasantly cool in comparison to other streets. This autumn the trees are going to be planted in different locations around the municipality. Many of the trees were fitted with little loudspeakers in the shape of nesting-boxes that played birdsong, which added to the sense of walking (cycling) in a wood.

[@taegenmcshane]

Dystopian but beautiful

[@raapyna8544]

@@taegenmcshane Why dystopian? Are trees scary?

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaria]

@@raapyna8544 because trees should be growing along the streets and people shouldn’t have to resort to bringing in potted farmed plants and trees

[@MBMCincy63]

My landlord cut out a dying beech tree, and then decided that the smaller cypress (?) evergreen needed to come down as well. A lonely maple is left. I used to get lots of cooled air through the windows on that side, now not so much. Nearly at the same time a new neighbor moved in to the house nextdoor and cleared all the " garbage growth" of catalpa trees, maple and wild grape vine. So my apartment is not receiving the cooler air from the growth. And I have had to use my AC, instead of just a box fan on that side, which would pull in the cooler air. 🥺😤

[@pbsterra]

Maaaybe share this video with them??? I once grew hops up ropes that helped shade my house in the summer and then I pulled them in the winter to keep things nice and tidy. Not as good as a bunch of trees but better than nothing!

[@MBMCincy63]

@@pbsterra 🤔 not sure how I could do that. But, I was considering buying a semi clear window well (45" along the flat edge) and construction adhesive it to the fixed window panel, so I would still get light, but slightly less bright and possible shading and rain cover, so I could leave the moving ( interior) sash up.

[@purpleicewitch6349]

This sounds like another great argument for people collectively owning the buildings they live in, instead of some remote landlord who doesn't even live there and only cares about profit.

[@MelissaThompson432]

I take it they don't include electricity in rent cost. Cutting down trees raises electricity use in summer, but it also means there's less protection from the cold in winter. Word will get around to potential new renters if this building costs more to stay in than the one a block over where there is tree coverage.... It would be...a kindness...for you to warn the landlord of this potential bad future outcome.... 😏

[@joshuaharper372]

Is the landlord open to ideas of replanting trees on that side? He might not pay for the full cost, but he might be willing if you help him.

[@Maeveella98]

I live in the Netherlands (Amsterdam specifically) and they are brilliant with their hollistic urban planning. Everywhere is accessible via bike lanes or public transport and trees and plants are everywhere. Checkout Not Just Bikes to see how brilliant the urban planning is :) The US could learn a lot

[@robertway5756]

Not Just Bikes is a good channel. 👍

[@KrommFarenborn]

Excellent information.

[@passingthroughtime3033]

Most of the United states has billions of trees.

[@matthewmccarthy2406]

I Love this about the Netherlands, they dont take land for granted like we do in the US. And they make such beautiful and funtional urban spaces. If only you could colonize California and Louisiana the world would be a better place.Ive been trying for more that 30 years to get people in the US to understand these kind of things. But so far little progress.

[@hypsyzygy506]

@@matthewmccarthy2406 It's socialism. Government by and for the people, rather than government control of the people. Totally "UnAmerican".

[@kenna9310]

I live in the Philippines and I’m very fortunate to have trees (and plants that we eat) surrounding my house and we live beside a huge empty lot filled with wild grass and plants. It’s definitely helped cooled our house. After visiting the US, particularly Southern California, I thought my country was hot. The heat is definitely way worse in the US. Felt like stepping into an oven!

[@passingthroughtime3033]

Where I live in the US there are billions of trees and it's nice and cool. There is 50 states. Most states are not like California. And most states have a lot of trees.

[@jamesski1108]

America is a huge country. I probably live in an area that's much cooler than the Philippines.

[@surrog]

We do all of that in Europe too, but what this summer made very clear is that it won't save you: trees and foliage will die, they won't be able to sustain long drought and extreme weather. You need to invest in more extreme changes if you want to avoid humanitarian issue in the near future.

[@pbsterra]

Agreed but I think it's a yes-and situation instead of a don't plant trees, go more extreme situation.

[@eric2500]

If your area has a limited water supply, use it to keep trees alive, and let the grass die, it is a better investment. They won't save the situation in extreme weather, no, but it will help prevent those extremes.

[@kellydalstok8900]

More variety in trees makes for healthier forests. Conifers are more flammable than trees with leaves. But it’s going to take investments to improve the environment and too many people aren’t willing to sacrifice anything even if it means a better world for their children and grandchildren. If everyone started by pulling up some of the paving in their garden and making it green instead. Not with a lot of grass though, that’s for people who are almost as lazy as those with petrified gardens.

[@saturationstation1446]

i think( i'd say i KNOW but that sounds too arrogant) you are right about needing more extreme changes. we needed to start restructuring the layouts of cities and suburbs like 20 years ago in order to mitigate extreme droughts , floods and heat waves.. we need to build our structures to endure disasters and build our cities to be as self sustaining as possible. that way we can drastically cut down on the global transportation of goods which will have all sorts of positive effects on everything (including less pandemics and more easily mitigated pandemics because isolation is actually a realistic possibility in a self sustaining city) ... we desperately need to switch the motivations for our ways of life too. we need to stop seeing everything as something to exploit for money and completely remove the necessities of life from exploitative motivations. otherwise any solution will end up just being a trick to get money out of people that wont actually provide any relief to the problem

[@LisaBeergutHolst]

Besides trees cooling neighborhoods, cars put out tons of heat. Convert car-dependent streets into walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented streets and watch temps drop significantly.

[@RyanWalshGuitar]

Fully agree that human-powered transportation would help lower city temps and it would also encourage the implementation of more green ways throughout cities!

[@RealMTBAddict]

In case you haven't heard, there is this thing called wind.

[@LisaBeergutHolst]

@@RealMTBAddict Tell me you didn't watch the episode without telling me you didn't watch the episode

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Yes, and you can carry my 2x4s to the construction site on your back. Thank you.

[@nishiljaiswal2216]

@@scottslotterbeck3796 just because there are some use cases for a car doesn’t mean everyone needs to drive a car lmao

[@l.d.p.9365]

In the early 1990s I tried to get Disney World in Orlando Florida to look at my design of a solar array that would cover their parking structures that surround the park. It will reduce the heat island and it would power almost the entire park. I designed it to withstand 300 mph winds in the structure and be able to permit vehicles of a height of 20 ft to go to the parking lot. Unfortunately they did not pay attention.

[@zachduperron8543]

You serious? Man that’s a huge gut punch, sorry to hear about that loss. I hope those plans don’t go in vain.

[@ronnie-being-ronnie]

I live in a rural area outside a small city center that is lower in elevation. The city got with with NASA to help identify the local hotspots and heat sinks, and help to develop solutions. I freakin love this place! It’s so nice to have a government of intelligent, caring people who go out of their way to both recognize and address problems. I left FL in 2018 and couldn’t be happier with decision!

[@kenmcclow8963]

I think Grape vines are very good for shade if you put up a lattice for them to grow on. I went to a monastery in Montenegro where they had a nice shady patio because they had grapes growing over the top of a trellis. They have very large leaves and grow quickly. I think that a lot can be learned from old Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cities that existed long before aircon. From narrow streets that give shade, to light colors that reflect heat, to thick walls for insulation, to towers that scoop wind from up high and direct it down into a building. The ground level in my house is set about a foot below grade and in the summer it can remain cooler than the outside temperature for three days of a heat wave. It is thermal mass of the concrete slab on the ground radiating cool in summer and warmth in winter. It saves me money on heating and cooling. You see the same thing on a more intentional level in eco houses like Earthships, where they duct air channels through an earth mass to cool the interior in summer and it works without fans or any electricity by convection.

[@capt.mindloss2202]

I would like see the white roof initiative become a law. In areas where buildings are required to have white roofing do have cooler temperatures. The less dark surfaces we can help. I live in Southern Oregon.

[@pbsterra]

White roofs and green "living" roofs!

[@b_uppy]

Green living roofs are better as they also filter rainwater and reduce storm drain strain.

[@RealMTBAddict]

It doesn't do anything.

[@beth8775]

Agreed. We will be redoing our roof in the next couple of years. We're going to go with a white (possibly light gray) metal roof. Save on a/c and longer lasting material.

[@Pottery4Life]

Solal PV

[@johnwright8814]

In the UK, the difference between wealthy neighbourhoods and poor neighbourhoods is the number of trees. I live in an area called Alder Forrest, but it has been built-up with housing and businesses. Even so, there are green spaces for recreation, a brook, playing fields, parks and gardens between a motorway and a canal. Our councils are good like that.

[@miles5600]

In The Netherlands it’s the complete opposite, municipalities really have to start planting a lot of trees everywhere.

[@johnwright8814]

@@miles5600 I'm surprised at that.

[@miles5600]

@@johnwright8814 you are? Didn’t you know that we’re the king of infrastructure? No worries bro, everyday you learn something new.

[@johnwright8814]

@@miles5600 I sat in a park in Amsterdam. Clearly, this was not representative.

[@miles5600]

@@johnwright8814 it depends, Amsterdam has a really big budget for infrastructure while they tend to spend it at the heart of the city and not in poverty or less rich neighborhoods.

[@andreahutchinson4548]

Fun fact: Those old redlined areas are also often overtaxed relative to post-war new development on a per-acre basis. They use less infrastructure cause of higher density, smaller plots. Cities should be investing all their maintenance money on those neighborhoods, like maintaining and narrowing streets, adding more trees and shade, adding more green space, etc… It’s sad to see the new development lack green space and trees cause at the same time we also have a national housing shortage. We can’t all live in large single family detached homes surrounded by vegetation and miles and miles of underutilized paved road. Cities need to make green space a priority for new development, but at the same time, new trees need time to grow.

[@LisaBeergutHolst]

The poor subsidizing the rich: it's the American way!

[@claytonberg721]

I agree.

[@nunyabidness3075]

If you are trying to parrot the Strong Towns argument, you need to look at their supposed data more closely. They don’t count all costs, and they miss the plain fact that businesses must have employees, and those employees often come from other parts of town. If this isn’t what you are getting at, I’d be really curious what tax schemes over tax poor neighborhoods.

[@MarcABrown-tt1fp]

@@nunyabidness3075 Seems like they are highly focused on the cost of maintenance and the way America builds standards of living. A lot of the U.S debt comes from suburban sprawl and there is hardly a reason to wonder why. Suburbs use considerably more piping, asphalt, and even power infrastructure than the average cities do, All for 3-5 bedroom houses... We used to have houses that could reasonably support an entire 3 branches of family...

[@bunnylarese2161]

How about doing something to decrease black crimes? Other black folks are more likely to be victims of crime, while white women like you live in areas which are safer. Fraudulent

[@728huey]

They could immediately begin mitigating the effects of heat islands by digging out half of the parking lots in the cities and suburbs. A lot of cities and suburbs have massive acreages of paved parking lots around suburban office buildings and malls. Considering how malls were dying even before the pandemic, and how the pandemic showed how people could work from home, there isn't much need for tons of office space, and most of the parking lots around these office buildings are rarely fully occupied in the first place. They could easily dig out half of the pavement in these office and mall parking lots and still provide enough parking for workers and shoppers while reopening land for green space.

[@ladydeerheart1]

Trees have always been H E R O S!!! Plant them. Hug them. Love them!

[@pbsterra]

And maybe even more importantly, don't cut them down!

[@bobbywise2313]

I planted palonia elongata trees in my yard.These are non invasive palonia trees that happen to be the fastest growing tree in the world. It grows over 15 feet a year and has huge leaves for awesome shade. These leaves make great livestock feed or can be used as fertilizer.

[@TheIndigodog]

I make it a simple rule that any bio- mass like branches and clippings get mulched and never leave the property. After 15 years my lot is 4 inches thicker and higher than my neighbors . It is a complex system and tree planting paired with drop and chop mulching makes a lush green, cool system. I also use white roofing shingles or white roof paint on all roofs.

[@jannetteberends8730]

And the mulch helps to protect against drought

[@joe42m13]

The hottest intersection is a commercial area with large buildings, wide boulevards, and parking lots so of course it will be hotter with the lack of potential tree space over the surface area. The coolest was a residential neighborhood with narrow streets and lawn space for trees: nothing to do with redlining and everything to do with land use.

[@travcollier]

I wonder what the effect greening cities has on water usage. The main way plants are cooling is by evaporating a lot of water after all, and irrigation already uses very large amounts. We should probably also be looking into adding/expanding "grey water" infrastructure in a lot of cities.

[@gringa978]

Yessss… in my area every single time it rains not even a lot of rain our waste water facilities can’t keep up and they dump millions of gallons of raw sewage into the river… it’s disgusting 🤮

[@travcollier]

@@gringa978 A combined sewer and stormwater treatment system is often a bad idea. It is the cheap obvious way to go for small places, but places don't stay small. However, what I was thinking about are systems which take treated wastewater (clean, but not up to drinking standards) and distribute it for irrigation and industrial use instead of discharging it. Practical Engineering has a short video on the system in San Antonio Texas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5CaY2x5hsl6a5I

[@raapyna8544]

Rainwater management is a problem in many concrete cities in Finland. Reducing asphalt is a good way to combat that.

[@travcollier]

@@raapyna8544 That is interesting. I don't normally associate Finland with rain ;) I currently live in Florida. If you look a satellite image of a random suburb here, you'll see many houses are built around man-made ponds. That isn't fancy decoration... Those are rainwater retention ponds that collect the runoff and release it in a slower controlled way. In many places here, building developers have to include them to offset the increased runoff from concrete and roofs.

[@Beryllahawk]

I suspect I've said this before on other Weathered videos but I am rather proud of my area - the city straddles a county line, and both counties put into effect a help program (I think ten years ago now, maybe more recent) - essentially if a family is low income, rural, or both, they can apply to the program and get help buying one or two window-unit ACs. Before the county program some local churches were trying to give window -unit ACs to members, too. It might not seem like much, but in the hot-as-heck US Southeast, even a small window unit making a single room in your trailer cool is a literal life saver. There had been elderly folks dying in the summer - smothering to death in the heat and humidity without AC. Sometimes you just can't get enough airflow into a structure with just an open window or two and some fans, you know? So the fact that our leadership here saw the need early and found a way to help makes me proud and no little relieved. Being that there's a ton of trees around - to the point that it's far more of a concern to take some of them DOWN before they fall in a storm - there's still some debate in the city about what trees should get priority. Fortunately there seems to be some good research going as to what native trees will handle the heat the best. What makes me sad though, is knowing that the town I grew up in (Midland TX) is likely struggling MUCH harder with this. It's in the desert, basically, and trees have never done just great in those conditions. I can hope they'll find ways - cottonwoods and other drought hardy Texas native plants CAN be planted.

[@TheDoomWizard]

Nowhere will be safe

[@domcizek]

YES, IN EUROPE, THEY USE SPIT A/C SYSTEMS FOR EACH ROOM, AMERICA IS JUST GETTING INTO THIS, AND THEY ARE AVAILABLE AND ARE MORE EFFICIENT THEN CENTRAL AIR, THERE IS NO NEED TO AIR COND, THE WHOLE HOUSE IF YOU ARE SLEEPING IN ONE ROOM, (MY WIFE HAS A WINDOW AIR FOR HER ROOM, AND I CAN RAISE THE WHOLE HOUSE TEMP TO 85 AT NIGHT HERE IN FLORIDA, THUS SAVING ME MONEY WITH ELECTRICITY, )

[@jannetteberends8730]

@@domcizek where in Europe? Most people in Europe don’t have air conditioning.

[@splitliving]

I lived in El Paso, Texas for 30 years- truly in the desert-and had a yard full of beautiful shady-providing trees that I planted, 16 all together. There were several varieties which grew well. They were all either on drip irrigation and/or adjacent to xericaped catchment basins which took advantage of what little rain we got. It CAN be done.

[@Beryllahawk]

@@splitliving That sounds pretty awesome! I agree it CAN be done: the question is, in part, how difficult it will be at municipal scale... and more depressing, whether the taxpayers and/or the administration itself is willing to ACTUALLY DO the thing. So often I hear old folks in my own area snarling about the city "wasting money" on trees for windbreaks and so forth. And that's here in the swamps...

[@Rhasphody]

Community gardens, fruiting trees and bushes, and sun shades would help bring down the temperatures and assist with food deserts throughout the country. It would also assist with water runoff and flooding in cities with poorer infrastructure. We can do a lot, we have answers, it’s about implementing these answers now.

[@andywomack3414]

Poor people ain't got time to garden.

[@Industrialitis]

@@andywomack3414 Cities can plant fruiting trees instead of decorative trees.

[@andywomack3414]

@@Industrialitis Cultivating anything edible is labor intensive. Are we going to convince people in cities to become farmers?

[@mediabiassucks1803]

Black people can operate a shovel just like anybody else! Some of the older people are probably a bit racist and feel disrespected when some young "ypipo" or "a-rab" city volunteers try to "educate" them what they should and shouldn't do with their lawn!

[@mediabiassucks1803]

@@andywomack3414 Fruit trees are generally not that labor intensive once you get them going. But Seattle is hella cold so peach, pomegranate, citrus or fig trees would have to be wrapped in the winter or they would freeze. I'd just go with whatever does well in local orchards.

[@Accentor100]

I really hope the city planners and city council in San Diego watched this. There is very little shade in this city as it is obsessed with palm trees which are completely useless.

[@sdsurfgirl60]

IKR. And horrible non- native eucalyptus trees.

[@Accentor100]

@@sdsurfgirl60 Ugh, exactly and they're also highly fire prone

[@Quadrophiniac]

I have literally felt this within my own city. The neighborhood I used to live in was much older, had a lot of single family homes with big backyards and a lot of trees and parks. It was still hot on the worst summer days, but generally pretty bearable and you usually aren't too far away from some form of shade. Now I live in a townhouse complex, right next to a college and a big shopping center with huge grocer stores and such, and pavement everywhere. It feels way more taxing just to walk around in the summer, but its mostly because there are just parking lots everywhere and no trees. We definitely need to focus more on making our cities walkable in north America, these concrete jungles that we live in frankly suck. It'd be way cooler to have trees, and parks, and water everywhere

[@melissapyle7879]

When they started talking abt redlining,, I thought it was an exaggeration.. I thought , surely this didn't really happen.. I was so naive.. guess I always am.. it's a shame, and makes me so sad that we can be so hateful towards each other..

[@pbsterra]

Right? It's shocking. The comments written by surveyors are endless too.

[@b_uppy]

It started under FDR. Instead of asking who was in flood prone, slide prone or fire prone area, ethnicity was the first thing to come to mind regarding risk addessment. Eugenics was still big because that was the science and its sense morality of the time.

[@wfincher]

You’re shocked by red lining as an example of human indecency lol it’s probably the least biggest problem throughout the history of the world as far as racial bias goes you had entire civilizations wiped out by one another you had slave trades all over the world you had the Mongols killing everybody, like The little itty-bitty problems we have today are pretty stupid compared to how the world has behaved in general throughout the history of humanity. You may want to look into what middle eastern societies like Saudi Arabia still do to women and gay people. But then people wanna sit there and say oh a couple hundred years ago there was racist people in our country like grow the hell up.

[@b_uppy]

@@wfincher Redlining was overturned as allowable in the 1970s by a court decision. It has slowly ferreted out. Where do you get a couple hundred years ago? Go back home to your KKK hovel in Hillary's backyard.

[@b_uppy]

@@kennethliew7828 Carbon friendly includes eating a lot more local food; using livestock for pest and weed management; employing rainwater harvesting techniques and earthworks made from onsite materials; and soil building practices. Eat foods grown from trees, shrubs, perennials and vines. Avoiding monocropped, annual, synthetic chemical added foods and animals that are fed duch foods; and bare earth plowing;avoid CAFO-raised livestock, or livestock where they are overgrazing. Try to c

[@megansfo]

It's amazing how what were once luxuries for the rich have become necessities for most of us. This has happened within my lifetime! I am 72, and have always lived on the West Coast near water where almost no one had air conditioning. I never did and never missed it, really. But 5 years ago I bought my first fully air conditioned house. It has large south facing windows, great in our usually cloudy climate but not in the summer. My air conditioning stopped working yesterday, and I feel the lack of it now!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

LOL.

[@b_uppy]

Get a mini split heat pump and save on your bill both summer and winter. And plant some trees on the west side of your house in some bioswales.

[@naddarr1]

What's even crazier is things that broke people use to do to get by, such as planting a garden and hunting/fishing for food, are now things that only well off people can do as hobbies.

[@b_uppy]

It would help if you increased the shade by adding narrow trellises along the south-facing areas where the big windows are to give you shade during the hottest months but still allow the sun the warm the interior when it's cold. They needed more overhang to protect during the hottest sun.

[@victoriaeads6126]

I really like Weathered. This is a great series-factual, approachable, diverse, doesn't shy away from the issues, and broken into topical pieces that keep it all from being overwhelming. Thank you!

[@MichaelJohnField]

This is a really great video. I sort of guessed the main conclusion about half-way through but it didn't lessen the impact regarding the logic on tree planting / green spaces and why this hadn't been supported in certain neighbourhoods. Amazing to show the neighbourhood rank maps from the 1930s and how much impact that has continued to the present day. The additional factors regarding the air flow & convection due to varying building size was very interesting and not often mentioned. Good to see community getting involved with planting & looking after the trees. The whole video is professional, entertaining and educational at the same time and deserves to be seen by a wide audience.🙂 I also thought the method for collecting the current heat data was brilliant (the technology strapped to the car window!)👍

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Athens, Greece is having this problem in a severe way, too, I just watched a video on that. This problem is compounded in the Western US, where we don’t have the water to maintain lawns. We’re many years into the worst drought on record, trees are dying all over our natural areas and cities. Homeowners have been forced to replace lawns with xeriscaping, which usually means lots of gravel and a very few drought-tolerant plants here and there, so that we can meet the extremely tight water restrictions.

[@colinfrederick2603]

Lawns are awful for the environment in the western us. Trees require less water than a green lawn. There are TONS of dense foliage options that are water-wise. Ditch lawns forever and look up Theodore Payne foundation for great plant options that are beautiful and don’t require watering.

[@domcizek]

YES, IN TUCSON, MY BROTHER'S HOUSE HAD RIVER ROCK, IT COMES IN COLORS, AND DRIP IFRRIGATION FOR CACTUS AND OTHER NATIVE PLANTS FROM THE AREA , I THINK THEY SHOULD REMOVE ALL GRASS, THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF WATER

[@automnejoy5308]

@@colinfrederick2603 Okay. But you know what would be better? People need to stop living in stupid places. There needs to be a limit to growth in unsustainable places. Why is Phoenix the fastest growing major city in the US right now? The insanity must stop.

[@UtahSustainGardening]

@@automnejoy5308 Depending on your definition of stupid, nearly every area on the map is a stupid place to live. Hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, drought, and other things happen just about everywhere.

[@xaviercopeland2789]

@@automnejoy5308 can’t tell people where to live. It’s gonna happen, and when there’s no water, they’ll move closer to the Mississippi.

[@MA-mh1vs]

One advantage to our area just now beginning to expand on a large scale is they can make better choices up front. They are tearing down old homes and where 2 houses were 4 townhouses are now. In one of the industrial areas there are 4 small parking garages, I presume for the businesses that are going to be built there. They are maximizing space right out the gate and more businesses will fit in that area for going with the parking garages. The only down side is the old apartment complexes have lots of trees but the new ones do not have nearly as many, to me the more trees the better.

[@willieverusethis]

My city in Southern California is letting trees die and tearing out trees to build high density housing with no green spaces. They have stopped watering city trees because of the drought. They are also letting shrubs die and replacing them with gravel and rock. In one area where trees were recently removed, they were replaced with five gallon trees. They may cast some shade in 20 years, but most of the species chosen are small to reduce pruning costs.

[@automnejoy5308]

There's no water for the greenery. Sorry, Renee, but it's time to move. Southern California isn't livable going into the future. That's part of what's going to need to happen: People are going to need to move out of unsustainable places. It is what it is.

[@adrianc6534]

@@automnejoy5308 news flash, the entire southwestern USA is running out of water. where exactly do you expect all of those people to go?

[@automnejoy5308]

@@adrianc6534 I expect the ones WHO HAVE MOVED HERE RECENTLY to go BACK EAST.

[@SinnedNogara]

6:10 The messed up thing is here I see good development, multi-story affordable housing and walkable mixed-use developments. The only thing this area is lacking is trees. The wealthier neighborhood I see the opposite problem, tons of tree cover but it's packed with single family homes. A solution to the climate crisis will have to involve both, building missing middle housing, multi-family affordable homes in neighborhoods covered with trees and other shade.

[@johnalvarez3376]

I commute on a motorcycle from South Pasadena to Palos Verdes and know exactly what they’re talking about. On my way home the temperature is cooler in PV but as I approach downtown LA it becomes unbearably hot. As I approach home it cools down again. There are little to no trees on the stretch of the 110 fwy from Carson thru South and downtown LA. I grew up in South Central and remember it being nasty hot during the summer. When we would go to Elysian park for R&R I remember it being refreshingly cool. So yes, trees and green foliage make a big difference.

[@matthewjohnson1891]

My front yard is at least 10 degrees hotter then the back. My front yard is basically the complex parking lot all asphalt. The back is huge mulberry trees with my garden.

[@daniellow426]

Thank you for this. The past seams to be determined to screw us all. It is good to see people working together to fix our problems.

[@clstanton1]

so interesting! I live in east Austin. The region is VERY hot in the summer, and our neighborhood, which is historically Black, is mostly paved and suffers from a noticeable lack of trees, particularly when compared to the historically wealthier parts of the city west of downtown. Can’t wait to plant some trees!

[@mediabiassucks1803]

TX Gov Abbot has been fighting the Austin govt for fining people for cutting their own yard trees. If you plant a new tree you can now avoid the fine.

[@PK1312]

Oh hey, I live not that far from that hottest-intersection-in-Portland you highlighted here. My neighborhood actually has one of the lowest percentages of trees anywhere in the city, as well as many other missing amenities like storm drains (we just have cisterns that fill up and flood, common on the east side), sidewalks, and even paved roads in several areas. You can definitely see the legacy of redlining in this part of town. I am fortunate in that the area immediately around me has a fair number of large, old firs, but I still recorded 120f during the heat dome. Thank you for highlighting how inequality can even affect things like temperature. It does seem the city has been slowly dedicating more resources to east and southeast portland recently, though. I have a new tree growing in my front yard from the department of urban forestry, as do several of my neighbors, because the city identified our neighborhood as being most in need of reforestation and provided free delivery!

[@b_uppy]

Look up Brad Lancaster on rainwater harvesting techniques. He can help you save on a lot of costs while improving your neighborhood. Install bioswales with trees planted near them (you could even plant fruit trees). Look into permaculture. It is a set of ethics, techniques, etc for problem solving to build personal and community resiliency. Geoff Lawton, Brad Lancaster and Mark Shepard all use interesting strategies that could help a lot. Even if you think some of their stuff doesn't apply, much does. Andrew Millison features a lot of interesting videos on larger, finished projects and is interesting to watch as well, though he sometimes goes a little high tech.

[@PK1312]

@@b_uppy Thanks for all the recommendations! I'm vaguely familiar with permaculture, and I do have big dreams of tearing out my lawn some day and replacing it with native plants. I've already got some gutters that I've put drains on to run it through some of my existing flower beds, none of my downspouts are connected- but I don't have any storage for it. I do actually have some fruit trees in my back yard that were there when I moved in, big mature cherries and plums, so that's cool- but nothing like a bioswale. You have me curious now on what I could do to engineer one

[@b_uppy]

@@PK1312 Here is one of Brad's best videos on bioswales. He talks about some mistakes, which he corrected, --I think it is really valuable as it reflects some of the process. It also talks about how he went on to influence his neighbors and even Tucson rainwater harvesting policy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4LUaIypnKaKhbs

[@nagasvoice8895]

@@PK1312 Check the slope of land between your gutter drainage and the big trees, and dig 4 - 8" deep gently sloped curves - wide and gentle in how it achieves that depth, and in how the trench coils around the yard toward the trees, maintaining the downward slope toward the trees. Swales should have a wider, gradual profile, not sharp vertically like mechanical trenches. You also want to spread it out and slow down the water as you steer it toward those trees. Continue the trenching all around the tree drip lines, which is where the leafed-out canopies drop summer rain. Mulching those swales with loose organic material, especially close to the trees, will also help feed them. Obviously this change of yard surface doesn't work for areas where kids are running or folks with limited mobility have to get around, so you have to skirt any areas like that with some care. There's lots of farming and homesteading videos that show how they look, just with simple overhead shots.

[@richards2072]

Maiya May is a great science presenter! Speaks so clearly and cohesively.

[@mikem.1107]

She does a great job!

[@questor5189]

Thank you Anne Ray Foundation, Friends of Trees, and PBS for this educational video documentary. I was completely unaware of "Red Lining" and only learned about "Gentrification" for the first time from a BLM activist in Greenville TX last year. The planting of more trees in strategic places should be priority number one in affecting climate change and reducing air pollution, as deforestation and improper management of old growth forests in America and Brazil are proving detrimental to the Earth. On this concern I commend Sandrine Dixson-Decleve for her tireless efforts at the Club of Rome to educate and promote a sustainable future globally.

[@ForReal_Lauren]

What an incredible video. This is legitimately a gift of valuable knowledge. A seed of information we can use to save ourselves, our environment, and our planet. To grow as a species by working with nature and not against it, for the sake of all life. When things really hit the fan, it's knowledge like this that will save us. Learn all you can now, as in the very near future we will not have tech to rely on to teach us or fix this - at least not the vast majority of us. We only have each other and nature. Can't care if you don't believe it, it's a fact. It will happen regardless of our feelings or beliefs, just as the sun rises and sets in spite of how we feel about it. Puts things into perspective, especially when considering the pettiness of our human whims and desires. All so fleeting and insignificant. I just hope we can overcome our greed and see beyond our own noses before it's too late. 🖤

[@pbsterra]

Wow, thanks for the heartwarming comment and of course for watching! We'd love to hear your thoughts on what future stories you'd like to see us cover.

[@stevewiles7132]

In my backyard in Tasmania, I have a huge 45 year old golden elm. During hot spells I set up my hammock in the shade, I swear it is 15 degrees cooler.

[@bobyoung1698]

Another fascinating presentation from Weathered. Positive change often takes a great deal of time; we don't have that luxury. Over the centuries we have elevated bricks and mortar, iron and steel above plants and people. We need to reverse that trend. For example, acres of blacktopped roads, rooftops and parking lots make our environment much hotter. Can we find ways to lighten these heat pools? We can relax municipal codes that specify high-maintenance grass covers and allow the planting of ground covers more tolerant of heat. There are likely to be better responses to many of our challenges if we commit ourselves to finding them.

[@frankperez1953]

Thanks for the wonderful tips! Fantastic tips and temperature analysis.

[@emmahardesty4330]

There are low-to-no high tech solutions. Think permaculture, biodiversity, vernacular architecture. Re-thinking schedules to avoid excessive heat.

[@dhindaravrel8712]

It's baffling to me how every problem seems to have a significant racist component. As a non-American, this is so... weird. It's like being stuck in the colonial age.

[@ShiningSakura]

the heat waves effect the wealthy as well as the poor of all races in all cities.... they just have an agenda they cannot help but put in there and cannot possibly mention that it is cities in general and rural or suburban neighborhoods are less effected..... cannot give credit to those "bad" suburbans or rural backwater people and their undensified home owning land owning ways. They are obsessed with race of course as well. So yes it does seem weird and significant. but only if you put a light on it and keep all other data in the dark. The important takeaway is to make sure to plant the correct plants in as many areas as possible to cool down the area. Density and rocks (IE concrete and asphalt and literal rocks) are causing the heat wave vs more wealthy areas tend to keep their land and homes far apart and can afford to plant more bigger trees and have more land to do so on in comparison. Although really you could be poor or middle class and do the same easily and it is just up to people to use their land wisely and creatively and research the situation. I know this and live in a lower middle class area that honestly is trying to clean up and get better, historically the area is pretty crappy... I would put it as a c. Some people plant trees while others don't, but mostly the area has lots of tree lined streets and the city is encouraging tree planting and wise water use plans on a strip over grass and will compensate you some amount to plant better trees, shrubs, and plants. The west side has historically been low on trees and the city acknowledges that and is doing a big push to plant up the place and re green it, revitalize the neighborhoods, and create more green spaces. Nowhere else is getting that extra treatment right now so that means that part of town will get help which they need. Now to keep out the demolition at bay for high density housing over there once things have been made so nice....

[@cpi23]

@@ShiningSakura JFC watch the video before you go on your rant, they explain exactly how America's racist history led to the infrastructure disparity.

[@ShiningSakura]

@@cpi23 I did watch the ENTIRE VIDEO. I just see the world through a non victim mentality glasses and notice things.

[@cpi23]

@@ShiningSakura just because you want to ignore facts, history, and structures doesn't mean anyone else should. This is a series about science, so perhaps it's not appropriate for you. I hope you can learn from it still. Working on these problems requires not cowering in the face of USA's weird culture wars and moral panics that want to deny history lest white people get hurt feelings or whatever

[@ShiningSakura]

@@cpi23 Just because I realize the facts that cities traditionally have issues with heat due to being a concrete jungle and areas that are less city like don't like say suburbia or rural america that has little to nothing to do with race.... doesn't mean its not appropriate for me. That is science by the way and facts at work. You however feel free to live in the land of race obsession by all means and ignore the other facts and science. I do however see that people who are poor which sadly are minorities traditionally (but not limited to, plenty of poor caucasians out there BTW) which live in more ghetto neighborhoods which tend to not have as much foliage and or people just let it go by the wayside because they don't give a care. Asked them if you could help and they would laugh at you and wave you off. Not everyone is like that... but I tend to see a trend. Neighborhood was mostly white..... LIved in the south side growing up and I can attest that was a thing and my parents moved to a better safer location where people gave a crap about how their lawns looked if only a little too much. Bought a dump in a nicer neighborhood and fixed it up, it was all they could afford in a better location. Neighbor across the street was afroamerican and far more wealthy than we ever could hope to be. Nice people, doesn't fit your story as nice as you would like. FACTS.

[@ElicBehexan]

I learned several decades ago about red lining. Happily, I live in a neighborhood that didn't exist until the late 1960s, my house was built in 1970s. However, while the builder put in trees with the houses - 4 of them - I have already lost the two on the west side because Arizona Ash normally only live about 50 years. I had one taken down about 8 years ago because it had 1 branch left and it extended over to the roof, and I knew another bad year would kill it. The other one died in the Great Texas Freeze of 2021. It also damaged the ash in the front yard, but that had 2 things going for it, one, it was on the south east side of the house and two, it has a deeper root system. The 4th tree is a live oak, it did drop leaves earlier than normal, but it was fine. I need to plant at least 1 new tree in the back, I have a 20+ year old live oak I planted as a tiny little sprout in the back, but I lost the top of it to the freeze. It is only about 4" around, but I'm totally not surprised because when I planted it, I had 2 mature ash trees that shaded it, the idea was to get it to grow straight up... cause... live oaks don't really like to do that. Well, I'll look into planting a tree or two this winter...

[@fixitright9709]

you need to plant a lot of those Live Oaks and any tree for that matter to reestablish, the strong ones will survive this is what you want, I'm in Florida and I know all about the Live Oaks, they literally named the main street through our neighborhood after trees because they were not decimated during the development in the 1940s, but the neighbors have religiously over pruned all the trees to the point of a dangerous situation with many trees dying, I had about 12 Live Oaks Sprout naturally in the backyard at the property line and yes 7 of them died in the last 20 years but now we have 5 very healthy ones establishing themselves.

[@ElicBehexan]

@@fixitright9709 I plan on planting at least one tree in the back yard this winter. I say winter because if I planted it now, it would die. August isn't the time to plant a tree, it should be dormant to be planted.

[@fixitright9709]

@@ElicBehexan we plant trees here in the fall when the sap drops

[@ElicBehexan]

@@fixitright9709 if I were in the Valley, I might plant in the fall, but in Central Texas we need to plant between December and February, frequently depending on the type of tree. I would like to plant another live oak, but I'd for sure never see it do much, maybe a fruit tree so anyone who lives here in the years to come have something to enjoy... When I moved into this house, the trees were under 15 years, now they are past 50, and after suffering from that big freeze in 2021 that killed the second ash in the backyard I don't think a short lived tree is the way to go...

[@ElicBehexan]

@@kennethliew7828 You have NO idea of my diet. You have NO idea of the difficulty of getting enough protein in my diet. I can NOT eat enough plant protein to sustain my health. I can barely eat enough animal protein with meat to stay healthy. I don't eat animal protein daily, or, rather, I don't eat dead animal protein daily. I would rather not eat dairy daily, it does make me congested, but with out it and the occasional egg I would be even less healthy than I am now.

[@edernausgriffin]

Yes I do live in an area affected by extreme heat. In fact the section of video that recorded the 124 temperature in Portland is just blocks from where I live.

[@noodles9345]

I wonder how heat affects those in countries that have been living with extreme temperatures for hundreds or thousands of years? Do they have the same death rate due to heat as the U.S. does? Maybe more or less?

[@thomasmartins2402]

I was taught about the concept of heat islands in my Intro to Geography class in my freshman year of university in fall 2020.

[@pbsterra]

That's cool! Did they talk about redlining?

[@thomasmartins2402]

@@pbsterra Yes, but only at the surface level. I learned about redlining in-depth in the Social and Environmental Justice course that I had taken within the geography department this past spring. That whole class was truly an eye-opener!

[@BaskingInObscurity]

Part 2: also cover bare dirt with foliage that shades the ground. Ground cover vegetation alone reduces soil temperature quite a lot. Even shrub plantings should permit ground cover to fill in, though drought tolerant plants are often the best. Cool thing is that ground covers dramatically reduce evaporation from the soil, so watering just a little bit goes a long way and vastly increases the plant options, including numerous herbs and plants that provide wildlife food or habitat.

[@inthenow8077]

Wow. Totally new perspective. Thank you

[@AlchemistGuest]

This is very helpful info, Thank you all🌞

[@Interglacial_optimist]

It's only we had started this 25 years ago when it could have made a difference.

[@pbsterra]

Best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago or TODAY!

[@Interglacial_optimist]

@@pbsterra the 10 acres of forest surrounding my land was just cleared for 35 homes Toxic rooftop runoff onto sidewalk, driveway, and roadway. A tar shingle heat island A 3 acre lake drained to form a cul-de-sac. So while you're talking about growing and unpaving I'm watching deforestation and heat island creation. We have learned nothing and prove it every day.

[@naptime_riot]

I love how optimistic this video begins. How can the 2020's become the "decade of heatwaves" when it will precede much worse decades to come? Will thosse be the "decades of scouring fire?"

[@EDHCollector]

they will be the decades of collapsing society and anarchy - the end of humanity as we know it - the start of war and famines worldwide

[@AbrahamSamma]

It's amazing how bad decisions made decades ago cause unforseen but devastating second order effects like this. This is actionable knowledge that should be put to work immediately. Plus, a lot more must be done to acknowledge the decisions of the past and rectify their effects, and to put safeguards to make sure they never happen again.

[@starlaks588]

Thank you for this information!

[@Garbimba1900]

Definitely a good video. It pushes for action which is good and needed.

[@pbsterra]

Thanks for watching!!! We appreciate it.

[@JGCornucopia]

Thank you for this! Will be sharing it with our students!

[@13thravenpurple94]

Great work 🥳 Thank you 💜

[@teresaoconnell4790]

If you can, put up a simple shade or awning to keep the sun off the hottest side of your home. Even an apartment balcony can be shaded. We used a tarp over our patio. Bonus, we can also direct the rainwater toward our flowerbeds. We used a tarp, screw in eye bolts and some thin rope.

[@ianchandley]

I’m a co-owner of some restaurants here in Jamaica. In June during a three week period, I had 5 refrigeration units freeze up at 3 different locations. After the 4th unit froze up, I asked a master technician what the hell was going on during a repair call: “Global warming” was his answer. Yes, it is hotter this year than previous years but what does that have to do with my refrigeration units? Global warming means higher temperatures but it also mean higher levels of humidity, and because my staff are constantly in and out of the refrigerators/freezers, the increased water vapor condenses on the evaporators and freezes, blocking the free flow of air over the evaporator fins and causing the units to get warm. So I’ve had to put timers on the units to shut them down at midnight for an hour to allow the evaporators to defrost; or rewire the units with new defrosters that cycle on/off more times daily.

[@JamesShelton32]

Great, saw my childhood neighborhood and Middleschool. We should plant and keep native trees with native species below them. Not lawn grass.

[@pbsterra]

Oh, which city?

[@GaiaCarney]

Friends of Trees 🌲 🌳 is a great organization that has grown a community around tree planting, volunteerism & education. Regrettably, the City of Portland ended their contract with them this Spring 2022, in an ill-advised attempt to fix what wasn’t broken.

[@mediabiassucks1803]

Let me guess, the residents felt disrespected by "uppity ypipo" volunteers telling them what to do with their lawns?

[@codydody]

Thank you for producing this documentary. Sad yet very informative.

[@ophyjenkins]

Love how we are DEPARKING as much as have and hope to continue. The amount of destruction in the surrounding counties in Richmond VA though is HEARTBREAKING! so many condos/townhouses and neighborhoods are going up that we are losing so so much of our canopy! Chesterfield will look like Short Pump in no time and its going to be so hot here.

[@starlaks588]

In my parents nieborhood there use to be beautiful trees that had to be hundreds of years old! The city cut the majority of them down? The stay in Los Angeles. Makes your wonder why!

[@lorenrenee1]

Our neighborhood has whole blocks that are just paved over for Tenents parking, with our housing crisis it’s a tough fight.

[@Yvaelle]

At that museum on those multi-story parking facilities, they could easily put a solar array up above the cars too. The top-level cars get less direct sunlight in hot months, protect people from rain in colder months, and the array gets elevated access to sunlight in a place it won't be tampered with (at ground level). Not only could it help reduce the operating costs of the museum, but it's another cool science fact for the museum (ex. 50% of our energy needs are produced by the array above your cars in the parking lot).

[@b_uppy]

If cities used curb cuts and bioswales, as well as roof runoff and greywater (accompanied with plant and soil compatible cleaners) the heat island effect would be universally lower across all neighborhoods. *Cities still rely heavily on centralized stormwater drain management.* Redlining has little to do with poor rainwater management. This makes poor people and middle class people have to buy more water to to keep their yards alive.

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

Given the growing water shortages, should anyone be watering their lawn? Better to plant native grasses or other vegetation able to cope with the local climate and/or, if you actually don't use the space for recreation, maybe plant food or something instead. The ornamental green lawn ideal is inane anyway; holdover from an antiquated status symbol.

[@MBMCincy63]

@@WulfgarOpenthroat I truly dislike lawns! A space of open green/ grass of 10x15 is plenty enough for a sitting out/ barbeque area, totally agree with natural grasses, or even juniper ground cover.

[@b_uppy]

@@WulfgarOpenthroat We need to harvest rainwater because the benefits are important to recharging the aquifer. A neighborhood with hydrated lawns and healthy soil biomes will reduce: flooding, fire danger, pollution, power grid strain and brownouts, sewer system strain, etc. Trees are very important as is a diversity of other site appropriate plantings. Agree with planting food trees. They can be watered by roof runoff, greywater, and street runoff and help increase food diversity and nutrition, food quality, decrease food deserts, etc. I prefer solutions that have multiple big benefits, low cost and decentralize governmental and corporate power, grid strain, and returns empowerment to individuals.

[@b_uppy]

@@MBMCincy63 Junipers as ground covers provide too much protection for rats. If a rat goes across that he is stiol easy prey for cats, dogs, and and flying predators. Low growing juniper is like a little rat fortress. Tree type junipers are okay. Alsike Clover is nice as it fixes nitrogen while needing a lot less mowing maintenance. We need to keep the soil moist enough by keeping the soil biota alive and avoiding synthetic fertilizers and biocides. Synthetic chemicals destroy healthy soil biota. With diverse plantings, sufficiently hydrated plantings and bioswales we can mitigate flooding, drought, heatwaves, etc.

[@b_uppy]

I'd like to suggest Brad Lancaster's latest books on Rainwater Harvesting in Drylands. Lots of useful info to help maintain trees at lower community water costs.

[@TinyDancer888]

I remember in my neighborhood where the demographic had changed drastically there was a project where they gave free trees to anyone who would plant them. Now people came out of the woodwork to take trees just because they were free not because they had an actual plan to plant and take care of them. I saw dozens of them dead because they weren't watered or were just tossed in the corner and never planted. People who had no sense of self and just surviving and not thriving. Generational abuse and no therapy. It used to be a really nice neighborhood where people knew one another and took care of one another now to the complete opposite of that. I was one of the last to move out. Very, very sad.

[@0HARE]

I live in Dallas, TX, and boy, does it get hot here in the summertime! I have nurtured every tree that has sprung up on my property for the past twenty years. As a result, I have a great canopy of oak and pecan trees in my back yard, and a young oak flourishing in the front yard. Whoever inhabits this house after we’re gone, I really hope that they continue to nurture the trees. They really do help to keep the house and property cooler.

[@sporkbot]

I live in the area where Vivek measured the air temperature to be 124. Miserable doesn’t even begin to describe how horrible it felt…

[@phil20_20]

This is the decade we realize our scientists were way too conservative.

[@SoZen08]

In Salt Lake City, mayor Erin Mendenhall is working on an ambitious project of planting tons of trees on the west side. See the Salt Lake Tribune for the story on this.

[@Madamoizillion]

I live in Portland and last year was scary from the heat waves and blackouts. These heat waves are deadly. When I was little, I don't remember ever needing air conditioning and now people are dying without it. I am very lucky to have a 100+ year-old oak tree shading my house that gives us a cooling effect of up to 20°F on a hot day and we try to leave our air conditioning off as much as possible to spare the electrical grid.

[@MiniMu-2008]

I have learned so much from watching this channel. Thankful for the information

[@uprightape100]

Phoenix needs to do this times 10.

[@bookmagicroe9553]

I visited Phoenix a few years ago and could not tolerate the heat. I thought I'd be a heat death statistic. This presentation is correct in the need to green up our cities.

[@chrissscottt]

Almost certainly the 2020s will be known as the *start* of the heatwaves.

[@sideefex]

Brilliant information. Thank you!!

[@matthewconstantine5015]

I remember the first time I really felt & understood this. I was cycling along a fairly long Northern Virginia bike trail on a hot summer day, and began to pass through part of it that was largely wooded on both sides (as opposed to streets & sidewalks & fields). I could feel the cool air washing out onto the trail, even though I wasn't directly under the trees. It felt amazing. Sadly, in DC, this is very much an issue. We're over-paved, with many roads being 4, 6, or 8 lanes wide for no good reason. And of course, there are large swaths of the city (and surrounding suburbs) that are still in bad shape thanks to redlining. Where I live isn't bad, but once I leave my immediate neighborhood, I'm into long stretches of wide roads, paved parking lots, and few trees. It's very frustrating, because the roads are usually empty, but the city refuses to put them on a road diet.

[@zemtek420]

Every time I see Maiya May I always smile. She just too darn fine. I am a firm believer that anyone that fights against going green needs to be shipped off to some island that will be under water in the next 10 years. Going green not only the smart thing to do for Mother Earth it is also the smart thing to do econmically as well. Going green opens up so many more jobs than what the oil industry could ever do. It also stablizies economies in a way that we are not reliant on foriegn energy sources. Which allows us to stay the hell out of the middle east.

[@john.dough.]

4:07 -> I gotta say that "Latinx" is some of the most imperialistic stuff I've seen from PBS. I don't know a single native speaker who uses the term. Ironic using it in a segment about racism.

[@bennydixson7272]

Thank you! As soon as I heard this I knew it was going to be some random info put together to push an politically charged idea.

[@firstname405]

@@bennydixson7272 cry

[@joe42m13]

Yes, it's literally cultural erasure imposed by the (majority white) hegemony, saying poor POC you need to change because we know what's best for you

[@eric2500]

@@bennydixson7272 It's about your impending heat exhaustion. It's about the bead of sweat rolling down your back to your nether regions. *It's about a shared problem and how to fix it.*

[@firstname405]

@@joe42m13 found the crypto-fascist!

[@peggylee6086]

In the U.S. and Canada we share the same problem, everyone knows about concrete, asphalt and few trees however brick is a big problem because once it heats up it takes days to cool down.

[@georgepbriles696]

That's great work taking notice of this!.. and getting problems solved on it!.. it's what I like to see!

[@pbsterra]

Thanks! We appreciate you watching.

[@uhohhotdog]

You completely ignored car dependency. Make neighborhoods walkable and bike able and you won’t need so much asphalt and you cut on polluting cars.

[@GoldenAgeVideo]

I'd like to know more about the planning and layout of buildings to promote better air circulation. As for trees, I think we need to stop looking down upon native species that gardeners tend to call 'messy' or 'nuisance' trees - like honey locust, for example. Yes, they have thorns, but they resist drought and are fast-growing. We need both of those qualities. There's bound to be a place for such 'nuisance' trees somewhere.

[@b_uppy]

Homey locusts also produce edible beans, and they can stop kids from climbing them.

[@eric2500]

*Depends on the tree.* We have invasive Ailanthus in New York City, and fools took the Eucalyptus out of its environment and planted them in the hot dry California southern coast, where they turn into "bomb trees".

[@b_uppy]

@@eric2500 There are other considerations well. Some roots will rise above the surface and damage infrastructure. Other trees grow large quickly and get huge trunks that overwhelm planting wells. Female Gingkos can produce stinky fruit if a male gingko is nearby, etc

[@GoldenAgeVideo]

@@eric2500 That's why I specified 'native'. During the Dust Bowl we introduced a lot of species that have no business being here in the U.S., like salt cedar, and we're struggling to eradicate them now. But finding appropriate uses for native species that would otherwise be overlooked could save more trouble in the long run.

[@garypugh1153]

Here in florida they are constantly bull dozing thousands of acres of trees and putting in concrete and condos....concrete is blistering hot all day and night.

[@Tomkinsbc]

I live in Vancouver BC and I was there when we had the heat wave and many people died. The person responsible for the well being of many of those people claimed she did such a good job because the death toll was not higher. Remind me to give her a pat on the back. In the 1980's and 1990's I openly asked why are they not at least, making those that build the buildings, making them put gardens on the roofs to try and prevent the temperatures from going higher or at least prevent them from going as high as they are now. It was a known fact even then, that cities have at least 1 degree Celsius higher temperature than the rural areas. I never heard any one reply with an answer to that, of all the politicians claiming to have the answers to all of our problems, I never heard one response to my questions. Maybe they were consuming too many freezes and suffering from brain freeze. Our biggest problem is the politicians do not come up with any solutions, until it is too late.

[@thathobbitlife]

Friends of Trees lost their contract with the City of Potlrtland, as the City has decided to spend their money elsewhere 🙄 unfortunately.

[@bookmagicroe9553]

I guess ya can't stop stupid.

[@Thessalin]

We have 3 giant trees in our front yard that have been there for decades. At least since the 1970s. One sadly died recently and have to be removed. In good news, a smaller tree that was under it is growing better. But yes, it works wonders in Georgia to keep our house cooler in the summer. Interestingly enough- our neighborhood is diverse and always has been and we have a TON of trees. However, many of the less diverse areas have almost no trees. The temperature when we had those 100+ days was very noticeable. People in McMansions only have the one token tree make me sad and they were hating life. Embrace nature and the benefits loving your planet provides.

[@b_uppy]

I watch design shows and rich people can certainly afford installing rainwater harvesting cisterns, greywater harvesting retrofits, bioswales, trees, etc except they never do. Saw a designer go 'you don't want that mess.' Designer's an obsessive-compulsive that thinks about dirt. He always removes plants. A lot of design and flipping shows remove trees and never even discuss rainwater harvesting techniques. And most of these shows are based in So Cal.

[@phoqueenie6950]

Wonderful video. And thank you for highlighting people in areas across the country trying to make things better :) Let's fight for a bettering of our environment

[@co7314]

I just left FL after living there for 15 yrs. Ask any Floridian about the importance of shade and the wave of heat that radiates off asphalted parking lots (the act like a heat sink)

[@adrianc6534]

and yet nobody in florida believes in climate change. ironic. what an awful state.