Today in our environmental science lecture, we're discussing urban green spaces. A recent study in Melbourne found that adding parks and community gardens can reduce local temperatures by up to 3 degrees Celsius during heatwaves. However, the key factor is not just the number of green areas, but their connectivity. Corridors of trees along streets allow animals and plants to move between larger parks, which increases biodiversity. Interestingly, the study also showed that residents living within 500 meters of a green space reported lower stress levels. But the most surprising finding was that vertical gardens on building walls had a minimal cooling effect compared to ground-level parks.