In-Collaboration w/ Speak For The Trees, Boston
Boston, surprisingly — unfortunately, has one of the worst heating-island effects (for context: we're living in a sauna;) pollution; car emissions, relentless over-consumption, and globalized connectivity, all find their way as worthy conveniences. But, when the sun shines for our warmth (an actual worthy convenience,) it becomes overwhelming — concrete, asphalt, brick, and me — you — us, out in the open, steadily hanging right for shade; tempered; dreading and regretting the decision to walk; a built-up of animosities, often misguided, is towards the sun.
Over the summer, I've been photographing and collecting surface-temperature data in some of Boston's most congested, or tree-deserted areas.
Concentrated in Dorchester, around Dorchester Center, and Dowdoin Street — I was re-assured of the severity of the issue within a couple minutes — with sweat inching-down my back, the engulfing heat from idling and stopped cars sensationalizes getting thinly-covered by a hot-greasy-film; enough to make me want to crawl out of my skin — and the stink; piss, trash, litter, un-recognizable substances and smells, brewing and cooking in the hot sun. We're the problem, it's our culture; our practices, our over-consumptions, our priorities! Trees will certainly mitigate these issues, but not save us; especially not from ourselves.
Under a nice lush urban-tree-canopy, its shade can provide a cooling difference of 40-50 degrees in surface-temperature (ST). The size of the tree does matter; the bigger the tree, the wider its canopy coverage; meaning, certain areas will remain cool under shade, regardless of the sun's angle. But! Even under a small, young honey-locust, the cooling difference it provides can still vary between 35-40 degrees in surface-temperature. Additionally, I propose a tree at, or near every bus-stop; and would it be outrageous to suggest trees and buses have a symbiotic relationship; buses help trees by reducing car-infrastructure — car-brain, and allowing the potential to greenify the area, and trees help buses by beautifying the area; making it more bearable to walk or wait and take public transportation, increasing ridership.
Often-times seeing is believing, and in this case, feeling is believing; to experience the instant cooling upon entering under a tree-canopy is cruelly blissful — enough to radicalize you as a tree-hugger. Conserving our existing-trees (young or old) in urban-areas is difficult, watering them and daily-maintenance proves to be tedious and labor-intensive work, but there are ways to minimize this. Urban-planning with the consideration of green-infrastructure, will lessen the ever increasing workload for ourselves; it'll make our climate-goals for the city of Boston: tolerable, manageable and sequentially, achievable.