Adding 10% More Parkland Could Reduce City Temperatures by 7º F

An additional 10 percent more green space could reduce surface temperatures by 7 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a team of British scientists. Extra parks and green roofs could counteract the predicted rise in temperature until 2080 when summers are expected to be hotter and drier and winters wetter.

Because American cities are more prone than British cities to high summer temperatures, University of Manchester biologist Roland Ennos said green space has an even more important function in the United States.

In cities around the world, planting more grass and trees could keep people more comfortable and reduce air conditioning costs and energy expenditures, Ennos said.

"It should make life more pleasant climatically," Ennos told LiveScience. "Many studies have also shown that it improves people's physical and mental health, sense of wellbeing, and can result in reductions in crime."


SOURCE:
LiveScience.com

This is a very interesting finding.

I've always thought that adding more plants and parks to cities would improve them multiple ways, now it seems that that seems to be true.

Interestingly enough about a year ago I read and posted an article about people in Japan
covering there roofs with large flats of live grass, it not only helped cool the home,
but reduced mean temperatures in the area and was of course a good produced of oxygen.


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