Battling Climate Change One Tree at a Time

The recent COP26 global summit has highlighted an indisputable fact that every citizen of San Fernando already knows: The temperatures, intensity and irregularities of our Dry and Wet seasons have signalled the impact of climate change.

Developed nations have made pledges to curtail their emissions, smaller nations such as ours have asked for more meaningful assistance in preparing for the global changes that are to come and to begin to transition into cleaner renewable sources of energy.

However, as most policy changes go, these pledges and promises will take some time to come to fruition and as we say: “While the grass growing, the cow starving” or in this case cooking. 

As a city, we need to take our own steps to begin to mitigate the impact of climate change and the unbearable heat brought about through urban living. 

Due to significant development and the contours of our city, some of our citizens are blessed with higher elevations and homes that can catch the easterly winds which assist in the overall cooling of our homes.

Others may be lucky to have significant trees and plants that provide shade and evaporative cooling against the sweltering heatwaves we now face with increasing regularity.

Air Conditions do provide some instant relief against the assault of heat, but ultimate have a price to pay, both in electrical bills, installation, maintenance and also as a significant contributor to the very problem they wish to solve.

With a prohibitive cost, it makes dollars and sense that we begin to look more towards passive cooling designs to supplement our fight against the rising temperatures. 

Fast growing trees, climbing vines and other plants have a proven track record in reducing the impact of Urban Heat Sinks by reducing ambient external temperatures of homes, sidewalks and streets by 2-3 degrees Celsius. 

While this may seem a paltry drop in a fiery bucket, 2-3 degrees means less work for your AC and lower electrical consumption costs. Combined with other ad-ons to our homes such as awnings that prevent direct sun on the exterior walls of our homes, introduction of cross ventilation, proper window design and installation 2-3 degree reduction can translate to 5-6 degrees. With average temperatures regularly soaring into the mid 30s, temperatures in the upper 20s would feel like a paradise compared to the onslaught of a clear 2-3 o’clock sky. 

As a city, we must individually make these choices if we are to collectively reap the rewards. This link by the Australian Government (Click Here) is an excellent example of passive cooling techniques that are worth a good read.

At the end of the day, we all have to live on this planet, so we might as well do our best to protect it and make the right choices for future generations. And as the saying goes:

” A wise man plants trees knowing he may never enjoy its shade”