LA is Planting 90.000 Trees To Battle Extreme Heat

heat already kills more people in Los Angeles United States than hurricanes tornadoes and Other Extreme weather events contributing to an estimated 12 000 deaths per year in the United States according to research a critical component of the solution trees many major American cities including Los Angeles are working close to the major tree canopy coverage Equity Gap in this video we'll take a look at how La is planting 90 000 trees to battle extreme heat the need to address climate change is front and center at a time when countries around the world are experiencing record high temperatures and heat waves compounding the heat island effect cities around the world are experiencing twice as many days of extreme heat as they did in 1980 resulting in an increase in heat related illnesses scientists have discovered that planting Urban trees can reduce air temperatures in City neighborhoods by around 10 degrees when done properly in a rapidly warming world this could mean the difference between life and death when homes businesses and industrial buildings are built close together they generate trap and store heat raising surrounding air temperatures significantly and whether it's driving a car or running a factory whenever people expend energy they're probably generating heat when a large number of people are engaged in a variety of activities close together this waste heat can combine with other heat sources to produce a significant temperature increase there is little opportunity for hot air to escape in densely populated areas of a tall close together buildings and busy roadways resulting in heat the annual mean air temperature of a city with 1 million or more people can be 1.8 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than its surroundings and on nuclear calm night this temperature difference can be as much as 22 degrees Fahrenheit according to the U.S EPA we probably don't need to tell you how significant this is given the rise of heat waves and record-breaking temperatures and as you might expect Urban heat islands are more prevalent in larger cities but they can also be found in smaller cities and towns heat islands are classified into two types surface heat islands and Atmospheric heat Islands temperatures at the Earth's surface differ from those at the atmospheric level which is the air high above the city trees provide shade we don't need to explain this one if you've ever enjoyed the shade of a tree on a hot summer day by providing shade trees and vegetation reduce surface and air temperatures at Peak temperature shaded surfaces for example can be 20 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than unshaded areas how during the summer the leaves and branches of an urban tree allow only about 10 to 30 percent of solar radiation to reach the area beneath their canopy the remaining solar energy is absorbed by the leaves of the tree for photosynthesis or reflected back into the atmosphere trees should be planted strategically around buildings or paved areas such as streets and parking lots to reap this powerful benefit evaporation is simply the process of transferring moisture from the Earth to the atmosphere when solar rays hit the canopy of trees and plants they absorb water through their roots and release it through their leaves water is also emitted as Vapor gas by plant surfaces such as the trunk and surrounding soil evapotranspiration alone or in combination with shading has been shown to help reduce Peak summer temperatures by two to nine degrees Fahrenheit A large oak tree can actually transpire 40 000 gallons of water per year this process lowers temperatures by absorbing Heats from the air and using it to evaporate water much like sweating does to cool our skin this decreases the amount of energy available to heat the surrounding air according to the U.S department of energy strategically placed trees can reduce a home's energy costs including air conditioning by 25 this reduces The Strain on our power grid during the heat waves aiding in the prevention of catastrophic power outages how according to research planting deciduous trees strategically around buildings helps to reduce the amount of solar energy that they absorb particular leave these trees shade windows and a portion of the building's roof this is more important than ever at a time when extreme heat forces City dwellers to rely on air conditioning to stay safe another Advantage when fans and air conditioners run less frequently they emit less waste heat into the atmosphere the green New Deal proposed by Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti aims to increase shade and cool some of the city's most sun-baked low-income neighborhoods the city set an ambitious goal of planting 100 000 trees by the end of the year but pandemic related delays may make meeting their target impossible more trees according to scientists and other environmental researchers are critical to health and environment of some of Los Angeles most vulnerable communities the sustaining Urban places research lab founded by Vivek shandas has studied the distribution of trees in Los Angeles what we're seeing in La is a very lopsided tree Equity distribution chandaus explained according to shandas disinvested communities have fewer trees than wealthier neighborhoods because they have historically received less funding and have had fewer opportunities for growth the city set an ambitious goal of planting 90 000 trees by the end of the year in 2019 but pandemic related delays may make meeting that Target impossible trees must be seen as a necessity not a luxury on every Corridor he said at a recent streets La presentation according to research communities that lack tree canopy can suffer significant consequences a recent study conducted by the University of San Diego examined the surface temperatures in urban neighborhoods across the country on hot days researchers discovered that communities with a higher black Hispanic and Asian population were several degrees hotter than wealthier mostly white communities the green New Deal includes an urban true project shade is not available in every neighborhood and there is a push to change that we don't want an older Angelino to get heat stroke while waiting for the bus we want them to be cooler the city's first Forest officer Rachel malarick told the NBC4 i-team according to one study a more robust Urban Tree canopy and better Public Health outcomes such as increased immune system function and lower inflammation levels are linked free trees are one way to extend the benefits to more angelinos if you live in Los Angeles you can get up to seven trees for your own property if you promise to care for them properly tree adoptions are being held throughout the city as a part of the work of the non-profit organization City plants they collaborate with the city of Los Angeles and several other non-profit organizations to plant trees throughout the city particularly in low-income neighborhoods trees simply give back we should give back to them said Roman Dixon a Crenshaw District entrepreneur at a recent tree adoption in South Los Angeles we're trying to improve our outdoor area said Myra Cordova a gardener preschool teacher City plants will also take into account residents requests to plant trees in public spaces in their neighborhoods you can go ahead and request trees on their website to have some trees delivered to your home or have the process begin for the non-profit partner to come inspect your location place an order for the tree come dig the hole and plant it for you said lact Forest officer mallerick you just have to commit to watering the tree for the first three to five years and making sure it gets that needed water as it grows in the ground in front of your house she says according to malaric these planting projects are part of a larger effort to increase the city's tree canopy we know that nature and green space benefit our mental and physical health and well-being tremendously malarex said it's an urgent issue that we must address she added for the first time in decades the city is conducting a tree inventory assessing the species and health of Los Angeles's trees and identifying bare spots some of which have been vacant for years they've already recorded 100 000 vacancies matter Etc so for example if a resident called and said hey I live over here in this part of South Los Angeles in this neighborhood Council and I'd like to you know get new trees so I can say you know what there are approximately 4 000 vacancies in your neighborhood it also demonstrates how much money can be saved by increasing the number of trees planted according to malaric a calculator embedded in software developed by the U.S forest Service quantities three benefits Beyond shade moisture and improved air quality as well as dollars saved due to lower CO2 emissions and less energy and water use more than 52 000 trees have been planted so far with the city lagging behind the covid-19 pandemic halted shovels on the ground the work now consists of picking up planting and educating people on how to care for trees planted in their communities and with that being said it's time to end our video subscribe to the channel for more amazing videos like this we'll see you with another interesting video

Channel: Circle of the Earth

Views: 21,628

Keywords: climate change, climate crisis, green city, walkable city, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, los angeles river, population density, los angeles blog, drought, Water crisis, rewilding, natural based solutions, LA, Water table, aquifers, river restoration, leaf of life, leaf of life films, deforestation, reforestation, los angeles, restoration project, technology, innovative tech, sustainability projects, greening the city, greening the city project, Vivek Shandas, la river, trees

Id: wJ6hKF9_-g0

Length: 9min 5sec (545 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 18 2022