Take a walk in a city during a hot summer day. Imagine, if exposed to full sun, would it be a hot transition from one place to another, or would you rather feel ease and pleasure to meander under a shade canopy of street trees? The temperatures from full exposure to green spaces can easily differ by 10-15 degrees.
Urban heat islands occur when cities trap and radiate heat because of materials like asphalt, concrete, and dark rooftops that absorb solar energy during the day and release it at night.
As global temperatures are on the rise, the last few summers showed extreme temperatures for weeks on end in cities such as Phoenix, AZ. Temperatures over 106°F (40°C) become dangerous for pedestrians and pets. It was reported that people who fell onto the pavement suffered burns to the skin, pets needed shoes for a simple walk.
Urban areas create unique microclimates with hot pavements and compacted soils, influencing both people and ecosystems. Disadvantaged communities can tell all about the difference between areas with trees or open spaces with no shade options. Climate Central* found urban heat islands in 65 major U.S. cities, affecting 50 million people. It is not just the lack of public parks; it is the missing tree canopy in the neighborhoods.
In my childhood, my favorite walk home from school was a street, lined with big maple trees whose branches touched high up over the middle and created a green, shaded tunnel. Green walls or roofs can also help to mitigate and make a big impact on the microclimate, but planting trees in urban settings might be the most effective action.
Plant More Trees!
5-3. Ode To The Humble Tree
19” x 40”
Hand-dyed and commercial cottons, paint, silk organza & sheer fabrics, Shiva oil sticks, cotton & polyester threads.
*climatcentral.org
謙虚な樹への讃歌
暑い夏の日に街を散歩してみてください。もし日差しの下にさらされた場合、一か所から別の場所への移動は暑く感じるでしょうか、それとも街路樹の陰の下を歩くことで、のんびりと心地よく感じるでしょうか？緑地に完全に日光が当たる場所と比べると、温度差は簡単に10〜15度にもなることがあります。
都市のヒートアイランド現象は、アスファルトやコンクリート、暗い屋根材などの素材が昼間に太陽エネルギーを吸収し、夜間に放出することで、都市部が熱を閉じ込め放射するときに発生します。
地球の気温が上昇する中、過去数夏にわたり、アリゾナ州フェニックスのような都市では数週間にわたって極端な高温が観測されました。摂氏40度（華氏106度）以上の気温は、歩行者やペットにとって危険です。報告によると、歩道に倒れた人々は皮膚に火傷を負い、ペットの散歩には靴が必要になる状況でした。
都市部は、舗装の熱や締め固められた土壌によって独自のマイクロ気候を生み出し、人々や生態系に影響を与えます。恵まれないコミュニティでは、木がある地域と日陰のない開けた空間の違いをよく知っています。Climate Central* は、米国の主要65都市で都市熱島現象を発見し、5000万人に影響を与えていると報告しています。問題は公共の公園が不足していることだけでなく、近隣地域に木の樹冠がないことにもあります。
子供の頃、学校から家に帰るお気に入りの道は、大きなカエデの木が並び、その枝が中央の上で触れ合い、緑の涼しいトンネルを作っている通りでした。緑の壁や屋根もマイクロクライメートに影響を与え、緩和するのに役立ちますが、都市環境で木を植えることが最も効果的な行動かもしれません。
木をもっと植えよう！
5-3. 謙虚な樹への頌歌
19インチ x 40インチ
手染めと市販の綿布、絵具、シルクオーガンザ＆シアー生地、シヴァオイルスティック、綿＆ポリエステル糸。
*climatcentral.org
Lisa, your unique technique expressing trees and the story behind it are truly beautiful. Trees feel like a precious gift to both the Earth and to humanity.
omg, Lisa, I love what you did with this piece. So effective and meaningful!
Thank you, Lee. This is not the first time I’ve been using sheer fabrics in layers as you would do with a stroke of a watercolor brush. I did take a bit of a risk in cutting back the sheer layer somewhat close(ish) to the stitching line. If something may start to slip off the stitching, I’d just add hand stitching.
Lisa, I adore your quilt, and that you chose this angle to approach the prompt from! This resonates so well having grown up in Miami and now living on the Arabian peninsula. Miami was covered in tropical vegetation and tree canopy, and we’d always choose that side of the street to travel on for exactly the reason that you highlight. The temperatures felt less oppressive in the shade, even though the humidity was unrelenting everywhere. In Qatar, we don’t even have the benefit of trees to hide under and their presence is missed. With temperatures in the upper 120s during the summer, and feels like temperatures in the 130s, I’m not sure many trees could endure it anyway. So we run from our homes to our cars to our jobs or friends’ houses or shopping malls, trying to move in the shadows of buildings where possible. Trying to avoid the sun like vampires. Trees are not seen as humble here. They, like the water that feeds them, are precious. There were even laws in the UAE preventing the cutting down of trees without the government approval. Looking at your quilt, I can feel the cooler sections where the shadows fall along the ground, and it makes me happy how well you’ve captured this important part of life for so many people. A part that will become increasingly important to even more people as the higher temperatures creep northward and southward as the planet warms up. I also love the transparency you’ve mastered in the canopy. I so wish I could see this in person to study it more closely. Bravo!
Christie, your comment makes me very happy, as you exactly reflect my intentions.
The area you’re living must be hard to live in, – I know I’m getting miserable and grumpy in too much heat. My daughter lives in New South Wales, AU, where summers are getting hotter and hotter, spikes beyond 40Celsius are quite common now. The difference of eucalyptus tree-shaded areas vs. a parking lot is mind boggling.