Today in our environmental science lecture, we'll discuss urban heat islands. As cities grow, they replace natural surfaces with concrete and asphalt, which absorb and retain heat. This makes city centers warmer than surrounding rural areas, sometimes by several degrees. A key solution is increasing green spaces, like parks and green roofs, which cool the air through evapotranspiration. However, the effectiveness depends on the size and distribution of these areas. Small, scattered gardens have less impact than a few large connected parks. So, when planning new developments, urban planners must consider not just the total area of green space, but its layout to maximize cooling benefits.