fastcoexist.com | By Ariel Schwartz | Image Courtsey of Rain via Shutterstock

The collection of people, buildings, and cars that create a city put out a lot of heat--and while they use energy more efficiently, they’re still contributing to the rising temperature of the planet.

Anyone who lives 1,000 miles away from a major city probably thinks they’re immune to all the side effects--positive and negative--of city life. They’re wrong. A study published in Nature Climate Change recently found that waste heat from cars, buildings, and other heat sources in cities across the Northern Hemisphere trigger high winter temperatures, even in remote areas.

You’ve probably heard of the urban heat island effect--a phenomenon that occurs when retained heat is re-radiated by buildings and pavements. This is different. The study, which comes from researchers at University of California, San Diego; Florida State University; and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, looks at heat emitted directly from cars and other sources. Read More...