In the face of climate change, 4,000 students along with educators and indigenous communities of Sao Paulo, Brazil planted 10,000 of the native embauba trees to create mini forests on school grounds in 2022. Prior to development, these trees once covered the region and are now being planted to combat rising temperatures. Students plan to create eight more mini forests this year.
The impetus behind this is to help create more green areas that will provide ‘cooling spaces’ from the increased heat that comes along with living in highly developed areas. In cities, materials that make up the buildings and roads such as asphalt, brick, and steel absorb light and convert it to heat. As temperatures become warmer around the globe, cities tend to experience more heat called the ‘urban heat island effect’.
Being that Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, the region is experiencing a direct hit of rapidly rising temperatures. As the youth will be most affected by these rising temperatures in the coming years, they are taking the necessary action to mitigate the effect of climate change.
Photo courtesy of Mongaby News
To read more go to:
1. Zanon, Sibelia, 2023 -07-18, Sao Paulo students plan mini forests on school grounds as urban oases, Mongabay News, https://news.mongabay.com/2023/07/sao-paulo-students-plant-mini-forests-on-school-grounds-as-urban-oases/
2. Brown, Fisher, 2023-09-19, Mini forests in Sao Paulo combat rising temperatures, Happy Eco News, https://happyeconews.com/mini-forests-in-sao-paulo/
3. EU Science Hub, 2022 -07-25, Cities are often 10-15 degrees hotter than their rural surroundings, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/cities-are-often-10-15-degc-hotter-their-rural-surroundings-2022-07-25_en#:~:text=Working%20with%20satellite%20data%2C%20scientists,°C%20in%20since%202003.
