Heat and Our Neighborhood Environment
Valleys in Los Angeles County can get much hotter than the coast. What makes your community hotter or cooler than other places in the County?
Urban Heat Islands
Urban Heat Islands are neighborhoods that are especially hot because roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and roofs absorb heat during the day and release heat at night.
Urban Heat Islands have fewer trees and green spaces, which help cool down neighborhoods. Because of LA’s history of racism in urban planning, Urban Heat Islands are more often in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.
Here are 3 ways you can make your neighborhood cooler:
Install cool or alternative pavements, like gravel, to reduce the heat absorbed by asphalt.
Plant trees to cool air, create shade, save energy, and improve local air quality.
Install a cool roof on your home to reflect heat and reduce air conditioner use (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) offers rebates for cool roofs!).
Join an organization that is working on this issue in LA!
