How is Western Sydney staying cool in hotter summers?
Western Sydney street in extreme heat – Image credit: Image created by ChatGPT with DALL·E by OpenAI.
VOCABULARY LIST
Heatwave (noun) /ˈhitweɪv/: a long period of very hot weather.
Sydney’s west often gets smashed by dangerous heatwaves in summer.Skyrocket (verb) /ˈskaɪrɒkət/: to rise or increase very quickly.
Experts warn heat-related deaths could skyrocket if warming continues.Mitigate (verb) /ˈmɪtəɡeɪt/: to make something less harmful or serious.
Councils are planting more trees to mitigate the heat island effect.Canopy (noun) /ˈkænəpi/: the top layer formed by trees covering an area.
Some suburbs in the west have very little tree canopy.Shocking (adjective) /ˈʃɒkɪŋ/: very surprising and upsetting.
The new climate report gave a shocking warning about heat deaths.Hazard (noun) /ˈhæzəd/: a danger or risk.
Waiting at a bus stop with no shade can be a serious hazard on hot days.Refuge (noun) /ˈrɛfjudʒ/: a safe place where people can go for protection.
Libraries and churches in Blacktown are used as heat refuges.Baffling (adjective) /ˈbæflɪŋ/: confusing or hard to understand.
Many locals find it baffling that new houses still get built with black roofs.Burn hazard (noun phrase) /bɜn ˈhæzəd/: something that can cause burns.
Artificial turf can reach 100C and become a burn hazard for kids.Scorching (adjective) /ˈskɔtʃɪŋ/: extremely hot.
Locals are searching for shade on scorching summer days.
ARTICLE
A new report has given a shocking warning: heatwave deaths in Sydney could skyrocket by more than 400 per cent if global warming reaches 3 degrees. Even with only 1.5 degrees of warming, heat-related deaths in Sydney would double.
In Western Sydney, locals already feel the heat. Many suburbs have very little tree canopy, which makes them much hotter. Experts say planting more trees can cool suburbs by up to 6 degrees, and councils are working hard to mitigate the ‘heat island effect’. Blacktown Council has planted more than 12,000 trees in four years.
Other cooling ideas are being tested too. A car park in Merrylands was covered with vines and its surface temperature dropped from 70C to 35C. Some councils are also trialling lighter roads and better bus stop shelters, as waiting in the sun can be a serious health hazard.
But not all solutions help. Artificial turf, often used in schools and sports grounds, has been measured at more than 100C on hot days, creating a dangerous burn hazard for kids. One expert has called it “horrific” and is urging schools to remove it.
To keep people safe, some community centres, churches and libraries have become “heat refuges”, where locals can stay cool during scorching weather. But campaigners say new houses also need better design. They call it baffling that many homes are still built with black roofs, which trap heat.
The NSW government says it’s aiming for 40 per cent tree canopy across Sydney by 2036 and new rules now make it almost impossible to build with dark roofs. As one minister put it: “Better design is one of our best defences against rising temperatures.”
SOURCE:
This article is based on:
Western Sydney is set to dramatically heat up, this is how communities are preparing - ABC News
Reflection Questions
Instructions:
Use these questions as:
– Speaking practice (e.g. talk to yourself, record and listen back)
– Writing practice (e.g. short paragraph answers)
– Class discussion with your teacher or classmates
Have you ever experienced a scorching summer day? What did you do to stay cool?
Do you think planting trees is the best way to fight extreme heat? Why or why not?
Would you feel safe living in a suburb with little shade? Why?
What do you think about artificial turf being used in schools and parks?
How could your own home or suburb be designed better for the future climate?
Comprehension activity - multiple choice
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