#Urban Heat

[reasonsforhope]

"With “green corridors” that mimic the natural forest, the Colombian city is driving down temperatures — and could become five degrees cooler over the next few decades.

In the face of a rapidly heating planet, the City of Eternal Spring — nicknamed so thanks to its year-round temperate climate — has found a way to keep its cool.

Previously, Medellín had undergone years of rapid urban expansion, which led to a severe urban heat island effect — raising temperatures in the city to significantly higher than in the surrounding suburban and rural areas. Roads and other concrete infrastructure absorb and maintain the sun’s heat for much longer than green infrastructure.

“Medellín grew at the expense of green spaces and vegetation,” says Pilar Vargas, a forest engineer working for City Hall. “We built and built and built. There wasn’t a lot of thought about the impact on the climate. It became obvious that had to change.”

Efforts began in 2016 under Medellín’s then mayor, Federico Gutiérrez (who, after completing one term in 2019, was re-elected at the end of 2023). The city launched a new approach to its urban development — one that focused on people and plants.

The $16.3 million initiative led to the creation of 30 Green Corridors along the city’s roads and waterways, improving or producing more than 70 hectares of green space, which includes 20 kilometers of shaded routes with cycle lanes and pedestrian paths.

These plant and tree-filled spaces — which connect all sorts of green areas such as the curb strips, squares, parks, vertical gardens, sidewalks, and even some of the seven hills that surround the city — produce fresh, cooling air in the face of urban heat. The corridors are also designed to mimic a natural forest with levels of low, medium and high plants, including native and tropical plants, bamboo grasses and palm trees.

Heat-trapping infrastructure like metro stations and bridges has also been greened as part of the project and government buildings have been adorned with green roofs and vertical gardens to beat the heat. The first of those was installed at Medellín’s City Hall, where nearly 100,000 plants and 12 species span the 1,810 square meter surface.

“It’s like urban acupuncture,” says Paula Zapata, advisor for Medellín at C40 Cities, a global network of about 100 of the world’s leading mayors. “The city is making these small interventions that together act to make a big impact.”

At the launch of the project, 120,000 individual plants and 12,500 trees were added to roads and parks across the city. By 2021, the figure had reached 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees. Each has been carefully chosen to maximize their impact.

“The technical team thought a lot about the species used. They selected endemic ones that have a functional use,” explains Zapata.

The 72 species of plants and trees selected provide food for wildlife, help biodiversity to spread and fight air pollution. A study, for example, identified Mangifera indica as the best among six plant species found in Medellín at absorbing PM2.5 pollution — particulate matter that can cause asthma, bronchitis and heart disease — and surviving in polluted areas due to its “biochemical and biological mechanisms.”

And the urban planting continues to this day.

The groundwork is carried out by 150 citizen-gardeners like Pineda, who come from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds, with the support of 15 specialized forest engineers. Pineda is now the leader of a team of seven other gardeners who attend to corridors all across the city, shifting depending on the current priorities...

“I’m completely in favor of the corridors,” says [Victoria Perez, another citizen-gardener], who grew up in a poor suburb in the city of 2.5 million people. “It really improves the quality of life here.”

Wilmar Jesus, a 48-year-old Afro-Colombian farmer on his first day of the job, is pleased about the project’s possibilities for his own future. “I want to learn more and become better,” he says. “This gives me the opportunity to advance myself.”

The project’s wider impacts are like a breath of fresh air. Medellín’s temperatures fell by 2°C in the first three years of the program, and officials expect a further decrease of 4 to 5C over the next few decades, even taking into account climate change. In turn, City Hall says this will minimize the need for energy-intensive air conditioning...

In addition, the project has had a significant impact on air pollution. Between 2016 and 2019, the level of PM2.5 fell significantly, and in turn the city’s morbidity rate from acute respiratory infections decreased from 159.8 to 95.3 per 1,000 people [Note: That means the city's rate of people getting sick with lung/throat/respiratory infections.]

There’s also been a 34.6 percent rise in cycling in the city, likely due to the new bike paths built for the project, and biodiversity studies show that wildlife is coming back — one sample of five Green Corridors identified 30 different species of butterfly.

Other cities are already taking note. Bogotá and Barranquilla have adopted similar plans, among other Colombian cities, and last year São Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America, began expanding its corridors after launching them in 2022.

“For sure, Green Corridors could work in many other places,” says Zapata."

-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, March 4, 2024

[thegothicalice]

Been years since I wore a big shirt with big boots 🦇 Boots New Rock, coffin earrings by The Deadly Stake, shirt direct from the band.

[nugothrhythms]

The old and the new performing together in Southern California again

[gothlisteningclub]

Goth Listening Club Day #87: Urban Heat- Wellness

"Darkwave/synthpop, songs are usually about mental health or the state of the world. I think this album is great but their recent singles go so much harder, so if you like this it gets even better. Have You Ever, Trust, and Simple Love Song are my favorites on this album."

LISTEN ON: APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP / SPOTIFY

[dallasbeltways]

URBAN HEAT — [DTX - 2024]

[lost-in-the-shadows]

my favorite band just released their new single inspired by The Lost Boys! of course I already added it to my Lost Boys playlist but I highly recommend you check it out 🖤

[occultradio]

[macbxth-pdf]

I had the time of my life getting to see these guys live!

[x-heesy]

iNtOmYsOuL: gOoSeBuMpS

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ

‚Tɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪss ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇᴘʟᴀᴄᴇᴅ?

Oʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴍɪɴᴅ

Jᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ?

I sᴀɪᴅ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ɪᴛ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ (ᴀʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ)

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ

‚Tɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏɴᴇ?

Oʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢᴏᴛ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ

Jᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ sᴛᴇᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴘᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ?

I sᴀɪᴅ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ɪᴛ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴇɴsᴇ ᴏғ sᴇʟғ

‚Tɪʟ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ?

Oʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ

Jᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ɪᴛ’s ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ?

I sᴀɪᴅ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ɪᴛ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ

Aʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Sᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Sᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Oʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ

Oʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ

Oʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ-ᴏʜ

Oʜ-ᴏʜ, ᴏʜ...

Sᴏ, ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴏғ Gᴏᴅ?

Dᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs?

Oʀ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ

‚Tɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɴɪғᴇ?

I sᴀɪᴅ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ɪᴛ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ

I’ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ʙᴀᴄᴋ

Hᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ?

Have You Ever? by Urban Heat

@len0r @m-l-3 @bigbonzo 😭 🕺🏼

[melrows]

your pleasant disposition/brings me such peace of mind/oh the frightening proposition/can we leave everything behind?

seven safe places - urban heat

when i tell you one of my favorite bands just released a song that is so crowley-coded 😵‍💫

[rezcowgirl]

Like PLEASE. Urban Heat is phenomenal.

Goth/post punk/synthpop with two black members that did THIS cover of Goodbye Horses????

I'm going to puke. From love.

[inthewindtunnel]

Urban Heat

Seven Safe Places

[nugothrhythms]

2024 single "Right Time of Night" by by Austen, Texas-based dark synthpop and post-punk trio Urban Heat

[rockinshots]

Urban Heat cranked it into overdrive at Bottom of The Hill. Wow!! This is an incredible band all the way around.

80's Darkwave Goth Post-Punk meets R&B. Put them on your "to see list."

📷 @rockinshots @urbanheatband @bottomofthehillsf

[personal-blog243]

I have the privilege of living in a house with air conditioning and working in an office with air conditioning. But even when I walk to the train station to take the train instead of driving I wish my city would do something as simple as make sure all sidewalks are shaded with trees, but instead most sidewalks in my area are not near shade trees 🙄. That alone would make so many pedestrians, commuters (and homeless people obviously) have a higher quality of life and would even make my neighborhood look nicer 🤷🏼‍♀️

I wish I knew what to do about that but aside from sending an email that won’t get read does anyone have any tips as to solve this issue locally?????

A lot of bus stops in my city are also not shaded.

Sorry I’m mostly just complaining about getting sweaty walking to the train station but for some people this problem is obviously much worse.