IndexIntroductionDescription of the objective/problemStakeholderWho is harming?EconomicSocialEnvironmentalIntroductionAccording to the Environmental Protection Agency it defines sustainability as a simple principle: resources necessary for the survival of the natural environment used in an human beings can exist in harmony to support present and future generations. Sustainability may be threatened by urban heat islands that force citizens to consume energy, exploit water sources, air pollutants and destroy trees. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Description of Goal/Problem Phoenix Arizona is a sprawling suburban city on the upper edge of the Sonoran Desert. The urban surface allows the formation of an urban heat island, the concentration of heat in the specific urban context. On average, heat islands occur on a hot day, accumulating surface temperatures of 50 to 90 F and nighttime low temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than those in rural areas. However, compared to other states, Arizona has some of the highest temperatures in the United States, leading to intense heat islands. Phoenix's intra-urban temperatures are caused by clear skies and low wind speeds, and as a result of the city's structure of narrower sky view factors, radiative loss and retained heat is reduced. Furthermore, concrete and asphalt absorb heat during the day and then gradually release it during the night. Waste heat from air conditioning raises the temperature by 2°F and contributes to the Urban Heat Island effect, causing the heat to be strongest from late afternoon to early morning. Another minor cause of the Urban Heat Island effect is the political climate in Arizona. Many Arizona residents and political leaders do not accept climate science and oppose any action to combat global warming, and in 2016 they passed a law barring cities from requiring companies to report how much energy they use. Stakeholders Many parties are stakeholders in the effects of urban heat islands, but the largest and most vulnerable population to be negatively affected are families with lower socioeconomic income, which includes racial minorities, particularly the large African American and Latino population. They feel the full weight of the urban heat island effect due to both high daytime and nighttime temperatures and the increased costs of maintaining air conditioning and water. The general public of Phoenix has to bear the cost of air conditioning as it becomes a necessity. Additionally, Phoenix taxpayer dollars are being forced to flow into ever-increasing heat mitigation efforts. The urban heat island directly impacts Phoenix's homeless population in increased heat-related deaths and illnesses. Who is harming? The primary contributor to the urban heat island effect is the city of Phoenix, but specifically the city planning and development department that controls the heat island. facility location, land use and safety. Other contributors include both Salt River Water Project Power and Water and the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station which benefit from increased profits as both become essential to living comfort in Phoenix. The economic effect of the urban heat island in Phoenix has led to an increase in degree cooling days which is the amount of artificial cooling required to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. With the passing ofyears there has been a sharp increase in cooling days. As the amount needed to cool households increases, the cost of electricity bills increases. This impacts the Phoenix public because the need to refresh families is becoming a vitality. The increase in the number of cooling days represents the increase in the number of days above 65°F or an increase in the number of degrees above 65°F. The increase in cooling degree days since 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona , is 1,080, which translates into an increase in the cost of air conditioning. Curtailments and excess costs for Phoenix, Arizona are estimated to cost Phoenix $479 million based on the size of the urban heat island. This will impact Phoenix taxpayer money. Economic impact is measured as a percentage of regional GDP. The total automotive excess cost is $43 million at 3°C ​​or approximately $28.22 per worker per year. Additionally, there is also the cost of air conditioning and maintenance of $76 per household, with an additional maintenance cost of $11. A table showing the annual amount of urban heat island mitigation for Phoenix, Arizona is shown in Figure 3. SocialThose with lower socioeconomic income suffer, especially minorities such as African Americans and Latinos, due to living on the outskirts of the city. where there is little shade and vegetation, close to industrial areas, commercial locations, transport corridors and few initiatives to reduce urban heat island effects. Furthermore, this population will have difficulty maintaining efficient cooling measures as the need for air conditioning increases along with the price to accommodate. While this is harmful to low-income families, energy producers will benefit, such as the Salt River Water Project Power and Water. This can be seen in a 1°C increase in temperature and is estimated to cost each household $76 per year with an excess of $11 per year in repair costs. Air conditioning costs hit the people who need it most the most. Families and households living in the urban heat island or experiencing increased temperatures will be affected by increased water consumption. Those who will benefit will be the water suppliers of Phoenix, Arizona – City of Phoenix Water and Central Arizona Project. A 1°F increase in temperatures is expected to increase average water use in single-family units by 1.7% or 290 gallons for a typical single-family unit in June. If there was a 5°F increase in temperatures would increase water use by 9% or 1,532 gallons in a month for an average single-family home. The population that is often overlooked but suffers the most direct effects is the homeless population living in Phoenix. Within the homeless population these are specifically white, males between the ages of 50 and 64. The number of heat-related deaths is recorded in Maricopa government records and shows that more heat-related deaths occurred within Maricopa County than outside the county. Heat-related deaths from 2015 to 2016 increased 48 percent and specifically affect males, ages 75 and older. Environmental In accordance with the increase in energy consumption by residents affected by the urban heat island, the demand for energy due to air conditioning also increases. The environment is negatively affected by the release of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, and the rate at which they are released is accelerated because the demand is higher. An Arizona household uses 66 million btu.