Environmental Science
Urban Heat Island Effect and Its Mitigation Strategies
Quick fact
On a hot summer day, the temperature difference between a city and its surrounding rural areas can exceed 10°F (5.5°C), and caused by something as simple as the color of rooftops and the absence of trees.
Why this is interesting
If you've ever stepped out of a park and onto a sun-baked parking lot, you've felt it: cities are hotter than the countryside. But why are urban areas essentially man-made deserts, and what can we do to cool them down?