Did you know that the green space around us combats the heat island effect in urban areas? Heat islands are urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas. The EPA conducted a review of research studies and data that found in the U.S., the heat island effect results in daytime temperatures in urban areas that are 1-7°F higher than temperatures in the outlying areas.

Here are just a few interesting facts about our living landscape’s ability to mitigate heat islands:

• Increasing tree and vegetation cover lowers surface and air temperatures by providing shade and cooling through a process called evapotranspiration. Planting vegetation and grass, or installing green roofs, are among the strategies the EPA recommends to mitigate the heat island effect.
• According to a Joint Research Centre study, more vegetation in targeted urban areas can mitigate extreme heat more effectively than uniformly creating green areas.
• Lawns can be 30˚ cooler than asphalt and 14˚ cooler than bare soil.
• Eight average-sized front lawns can provide the cooling equivalent to air-conditioning for 18 homes.
• A recent study indicates that school parks can serve as a tool for heat island adaptation and health promotion.
• According to researchers in Australia, domestic yards account for more than 40% of tree cover and 30% of grass cover and that the density of greenery in household yards kept land surface temperatures up to 6˚ cooler than non-vegetated areas.

To learn more about the superpowers of the green spaces around us – including our own backyards and community parks – go to TurfMutt.com. For more information, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. Look for Mulligan the TurfMutt on the CBS Lucky Dog television show. Here is a link to download the International Backyarding Fact Book, to learn why spending time in our yards and community parks is good for us…and the planet.