"We're trying to change the way that we as Angelenos think about our neighborhoods, so that we actually look around and say, where can there be more shade — in the same way that many of us have thought about trees"
Readers of this newsletter will need no introduction to Sam Bloch's most influential work. His 2019 Places Journal essay "Shade" completely changed the conversation about protecting Los Angeles's most vulnerable residents from the dangers of extreme heat, forever framing tree canopy as a luxury that only certain neighborhoods could access. Six short years later, Sam has expanded that essay into Shade: The Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource, his highly anticipated book that traces the history of shade worldwide — but still includes entire chapters all about LA's policy failures.
Sam has written about the intersection of climate change and urban design for many publications including Slate, CityLab, and the New York Times, where he has a brand-new essay that I guarantee will change the way you think about shadows in cities. He was also a longtime staff writer at The Counter, which was acquired by Grist last year. Whether I have a question about planting native trees or fixing bus shelters, I always go to Sam first for a thoughtful answer — all underpinned by the latest scientific research.
Find a shady spot and let's talk about trees — and much, much more.
Torched Talks with Shade author Sam Bloch Wednesday, August 6 12 to 1 p.m. PT
🗣️ Torched Talks is an ongoing series of conversations with experts on topics facing LA in its megaevent era. It's free and open to all — simply join the Zoom to watch. I'll post the recording here when it's over
🏟️ Did you miss last month's talk? Jules Boykoff and I convened an emergency conversation to talk about megaevent geopolitics in light of LA's occupation by the federal government. We also both appeared a bonus episode of the State of Play podcast, which you can listen to here
