Like AC for the Outdoors
Like AC for the Outdoors
The article, adapted from Sam Bloch's book, argues that shade is a critical and democratic solution to combat the life-threatening effects of rising global temperatures. As heat becomes a more significant danger than other natural disasters combined, the author posits that investing in shade infrastructure—both natural trees and artificial structures—is as crucial for 21st-century public health as clean air and water were to the 20th. Shade not only provides physical comfort but also fosters social cohesion and is essential for making our cities livable in a warming world.
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"In New York, a recent summer saw a throng of neighborhood activists protest the construction of a 16-story office tower, with signs to Save Our Light. They did this while huddling in the shadow of another building."
that's quite the quote.
i think if you are gonna talk about shade, you likely want to talk about wind. engineering cities for shade is a noble pursuit, but a city without trees offers more than just shade: cool shade.
one premise of the article is that maybe we don't value shade enough, but it's possible the problem is much more systemic than personal values. shady designs likely cost more or are harder to build?
with that said, the idea of learning to manage heat is a good perspective to have in our new world order.
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