Thinking about climate change? These visuals are a must-see

Trees can change an outdoor space SO much. (Photo by Valiphotos from Pexels)

If you just finished watching our latest episode of “Solutionaries,” then you already know we focused on the environment and all things climate change-related.

If you’re now wondering about things in your own state or local community -- urban heat islands, heat mapping, de-paving, your carbon footprint, maybe for some, coral reefs or the sustainability of your local water -- you’re likely not alone.

We found a cool video from NASA and a tool provided by Google, all about tree cover.

Check these out below:


1. This video from NASA

Want to see a visual representation of global warming from 1880 to 2021?

Look at this video above, from NASA.

Earth’s global average surface temperature in 2021 tied with 2018 as the sixth-warmest year on record, according to an analysis by NASA.

The video is not even a minute long, but it’s pretty telling.

2. This Google Labs tree canopy tool

Want to explore tree canopy from city scale to street level? Now you can.

Google is now mapping tree canopy coverage using aerial imagery in cities. Tree coverage varies across neighborhoods -- and developing an understanding of tree locations can inform and inspire action, Google said on this page.

Trees (and green space) matters so much when it comes to combatting urban heat islands.

Go to the site, type in your location, and check out what your tree situation looks like, quite literally.

Here’s an example. We looked up Austin, Texas:

Austin, Texas (Google Labs)

That’s just a screenshot, so you can’t toggle the options on your phone, tablet or laptop -- but you can if you check the tool for yourself.

Pretty neat, right?

Google says it uses aerial imagery collected by planes around the globe to improve Google Maps and Google Earth. In the Tree Canopy Lab, they use this same imagery to estimate tree canopy coverage across U.S. cities.

Watch our latest episode of “Solutionaries,” our solutions journalism-based show, any time on YouTube. Here it is below, as well: