How to cool a street

by

Michael Mobbs and Lauren Ryan

Residents, councils can easily, simply, cheaply cool a street.

Here’s how we householders and councils can cool streets working with each other or as individuals.

Michael Mobbs

We can cool schools, houses . . . paths, parks, playgrounds . . .

The solutions include keeping rainwater where it falls using:

• Leaky drains to freely direct rain to irrigate footpaths, edges along paths in parks and playgrounds. We did this with 20 houses in Chippendale 15 years ago for a one-off cost of $300 and each year keep over 4 million litres of rain in our streets

• Leaky wells to keep rain on household lots or parks

• Nature strips

• Water as a sculpture and something to play with during rain that drains to street garden beds

Other ways to cool streets include:

• Pale paving to reflect heat instead of black tar which absorbs heat and re-radiates it at night.

See Lauren Ryan’s heat measurments in Myrtle Street, Chippendale last week, below.

Lauren Ryan

🌳 The Hidden Power of Trees: Cooling Our Cities Naturally 🌳

Have you ever felt the heat radiating off black pavement on a sunny day and thought, "How much of a difference could a little shade make?" I decided to find out—and the results were astonishing!

On November 27th, 2024, at exactly 11:34 AM, I measured the temperature of the black pavement on Myrtle Street in two locations: one in full sunlight and the other under the shade of a tree.

Here’s what I found:

●      Full Sun: 54.7°C (130.5°F)

●      Under Tree Shade: 31.8°C (89.2°F)

That’s a staggering difference of 22.9°C (41.2°F)! 😲 I didn't expect such a drastic gap!

Why This Matters: The Urban Heat Island Effect

Black tar roads absorb and retain heat, re-radiating it at night. This phenomenon, known as the Urban Heat Island Effect, significantly warms the air around our homes. This extra heat forces many households to rely on air conditioning, which increases energy use and costs, further contributing to carbon emissions.

Trees: Nature's Air Conditioners 🌳💨

Trees do more than provide shade—they offer free, 24/7 cooling services by:

●      Blocking and absorbing heat from sunlight.

●      Removing CO₂ from the air.

●      Producing clean, fresh oxygen.

A Greener Solution for Our Streets 🌱

We need to line our streets with as many trees as possible! They’re natural, sustainable, and incredibly effective.

And where space or visibility is limited? Let’s use innovative solutions like Coolseats—versatile structures that serve as compost bins, garden beds, and benches while reducing food waste and CO₂ emissions.

A Call to Action 🚀

Imagine cooler streets, fresher air, and reduced energy costs—all by planting more trees and installing sustainable infrastructure. Let's harness the power of nature to transform our urban environments!

🌍 How are you helping cool your community? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below! 🌿

May the rain be with you and your streets,

Michael and Lauren