Urban Heat Project

Over the summer, five members of the Hanford High School FTC team dedicated 8 weeks (July 28- August 28) to assisting a group of elementary school children in an independent environmental project for the Washington forestry council. The members involved periodically drove to specified locations around Richland to measure and record temperatures the student group used to contribute to their experiment.

Explanation: An urban heat island occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas due to human activity. The practice of tree planting within and around cities is an excellent way of reflecting solar radiation, while also decreasing the urban heat island effect. Trees provide shade, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen and fresh air, and provide a cooling effect.

In order to ensure the success of the project, one member collaborated with both the adult advisors and children involved in the project to organize the flow of information between the organization and the FTC volunteers.

The Impact: Through this project, our team contributed to the success of the urban heat experiment, proving the need for more trees and plant diversity in our eastern Washington community. This project allowed us to not only assist in the success of an independent student science project, but also make a lasting impact on our community and the greater tri cities area through its submission to the city and state council