Historic heat is forcing people to stay indoors or find relief, and experts say that the impact of shade cannot be overstated.
Dr. Meeta Shah said staying out of the sun is critical on days like this.
“The more you’re out in the actual direct sunlight, we’re talking about higher temperatures, you’re also talking about skin exposure,” said Dr. Meeta Shah, an ER Physician at RUSH. “So then you’re piling on the risk of sunburn, for example. “
Staying in the shade means finding tree-lined streets with strong canopy cover, instead of sidewalks in the sun.
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To that effect, the city Chicago is focused on growing its coverage. Through a program called “Our Roots,” the city is investing in planting 75,000 trees over five years.
The trees will be dispersed equally over the different neighborhoods, but for now, not all neighborhoods are as shady as others.
For example, in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood along South Michigan Avenue, there is a mix of new and mature trees scattered. The neighborhood has about 11% coverage, according to city estimates. On the west side of the city, near Jackson Boulevard and Ashland, the sun is barely peeking through the trees. The trees are providing more than 20% coverage.
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“There are neighborhoods where the trees account for 45%, but there are places with 10% as well,” said Ashish Sharma, the Climate and Urban Sustainability Lead with the Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois system. “We have to think about where we plant trees, so we have the benefits of reducing heat and pollution.”
Experts say that the addition of more shade will be especially critical as climate change potentially delivers more frequent, and more intense, heat waves during the summer months.
