The importance of trees.
Kapiti summer temperatures are mild by overseas standards, and all the trees in Waikanae mean the town stays reasonably cool. But when TV1, Newshub and Climatists start bleating about hot temperatures elsewhere, this is a question to put to them about cause.
From the Dallas Morning News
Dallas is getting hotter — and here’s why
More than one-third of Dallas is covered in concrete and commercial and residential buildings. These impervious surfaces form urban heat islands, areas that absorb and then very slowly release the heat from the sun.
Dallas is hot. But the favorable economy brings with it a hotter issue: urban heat. In fact, among cities with a population greater than 1 million, excluding Phoenix, Dallas is heating up faster than every other city in the country.
Traditionally, economic growth and environmental sustainability have been at odds. In Texas, we tend to adopt a “growth first” attitude, and then worry about environmental and lifestyle impacts later. But the 2017 Dallas Urban Heat Island Management Study from the Texas Trees Foundation provides reasons why we need to rethink how we handle the region’s growth, building a better balance between the gray and green infrastructures.
The research, funded by Alliance Data and considered one of the most comprehensive urban heat studies in the country, found that more than one-third of Dallas is covered in concrete and commercial and residential buildings. Together, these impervious surfaces form urban heat islands, areas that absorb and then very slowly release the heat from the sun.
Absolutely true. Thank you 🌍🙏
Makes sense, the old night store heaters have very dense concrete blocks inside them with heating elements inside. I’m sure the designers chose this material because of its ability to store absorb and store heat.
A whole city in summer would be like having your night store working in reverse in summer. Heating up during the day and releasing its energy at night.