Briefly Noted Book Reviews
Briefly

Shade serves as a solution to combat a warming world, but its implementation is inconsistent and fraught with political implications. Historically, providing shade was seen as a civic duty, particularly in ancient Mesopotamia through structured urban design. However, the rise of air-conditioning and the automobile in the twentieth century hindered thoughtful urban planning. Currently, access to shade has become a privilege, frequently inaccessible to farmworkers, the homeless, and individuals living in impoverished neighborhoods.
Shade is a straightforward solution to the problem of a warming world, showing its deployment is uneven and politically charged.
Providing protection from the sun was a civic responsibility, especially noted in ancient Mesopotamia through urban planning.
The advent of air-conditioning and automobiles in the twentieth century hampered community-focused urban design, complicating access to shade.
Shade represents a privilege today, often unavailable to farmworkers, the homeless, and residents of low-income neighborhoods.
Read at The New Yorker
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