Green Island Is A “Heat Island”
The “heat island” effect occurs when urban areas experience extreme heat compared to surrounding rural regions. The reason behind this phenomenon is the absorption and trapping of heat by materials such as buildings and pavement. Consequently, the residents in these areas face more health hazards and a lower quality of life.
Green Island is considered an “environmental injustice site,” where residents disproportionately experience environmental burdens such as heat compared to other areas. If you look at the Worcester Temperature Map and Chart (left and below), Green Island is excessively hot and is in the red zone, while places such as Worcester Airport located on the west side of Worcester are much cooler and are in the blue zone. On extreme heat days, Green Island is 8.5℉ hotter than Worcester Airport even though they are only five miles apart (HERO).
As you can imagine, this drastic temperature difference can be a serious threat to the people who live there. It’s not just uncomfortable; it can be downright dangerous. Excessive heat poses significant risks such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke that can have serious consequences for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and young children (CDC).
The drastic temperature difference can pose serious economic implications as well. Hotter temperatures ultimately lead to a greater demand for air conditioning systems, placing an even greater financial burden on neighborhood residents who must cope with increased energy consumption and higher utility bills (Jones et al., 2019).
The Heat Island Is a Problem That Is Fixable
Clearly, the blistering heat in Worcester is more than just an inconvenience.Unfortunately, the most vulnerable members of our community are bearing the brunt of this problem. But what can we do to combat this issue? The answer lies in collective effort: by coming together, we can develop innovative solutions that address this problem.
One solution would be planting more trees. Trees provide shade and absorb the sun’s energy, releasing it as water vapor, which cools the surrounding air. Deforestation and making more buildings would only exacerbate the negative effects. Green spaces such as Crompton Park significantly help address the heat island effect. Adding more green spaces to Green Island can help relieve the excessive heat.
Another solution turns out to be simply using “cool roofs” made from a reflective material, light in color, that help buildings stay cool by reflecting the sun’s rays. Solar panels are also a viable option: they help shade the roofs of buildings and can reduce the amount of energy required to cool them down.
By implementing these accessible solutions, we can make our city a more healthy, beautiful, and equitable place to live.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness.” CDC, 1 Sept. 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html#text.
Jones, David S., et al. “The Economic Impacts of Heat Waves.” The Economics of Climate-Resilient Development, edited by Rachel Anne Carter et al., World Bank Group, 2019, pp. 71-89.
Healy, M., Geron, N., Rogan, J., & Martin, D. (2021). HERO 2021: Sustainable Worcester [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Clark University HERO Program website: https://www.clarku.edu/departments/hero-program/research/