I'm getting broiled out here because there is such an aversion to shade and trees in the US.

Look up Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't on YT.

The big park in the little town where I live used to be soccer fields, now they built a huge soccer complex. But the city refuses to plant trees at this park because the kids might want to play soccer on it still. It used to be 3 soccer fields, reduce it to 1.

Wow, unexpected P!atD reference.

Be the change you wish to see in the world.
Doesn't even have to be trees to start, get a mix of native wild flower seeds and a camelback sort of thing. Go out there and return the field to nature, then their arguments will look even more silly.
Guerilla Gardening!

Putting trees set back from the sideline would also improve the experience for the soccer players and their families, since they'd have shade to rest in while watching or at the half. Seems a bit "cutting off their nose to spite their face."

"No! It's much better to face these kinds of things with a drop of sunscreen and hydration."

The industrial mowers will just plow right over them

Nahh, plant endangered species so they cannot remove them.

Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t

There is also a webpage. With words.

Edit: Relevant entry: https://www.crimepaysbutbotanydoesnt.com/blog/visualizing-the-urban-heat-island

I found myself explaining the Urban Heat Island to a cop a few nights ago after a lady in the neighborhood called the cops on me for planting trees on city property next to her house.

Yeah. Seems they don't want to deal with trees falling over in ~50 years.

School's playground had to cut some down due to $local_tree_issue. They didn't want to replant due to possible construction in 5 years. Also, no shade cloths as they fail in a small number of years.

I can get behind planting more trees, but it sounds like they just started planting them on city-owned land without permission? I somehow doubt an argument with a cop about how great the trees will be is going to get them out of that.

mulch around them

'I chimed in, “Haven’t you folks ever heard
Of planting a goddamn tree?”
No, it’s much better to reclaim it right
Than just walk away and leave

I chimed in, “Haven’t you folks ever heard
Of planting a goddamn tree?”
Turn the damage into something whole
Bring it back, sustainably.

I bet more carbon would be saved if private jets were taxed 10% of their value everytime they landed.

I really appreciate written words over video.

That post made me angry at how stupid the built environment is in most places.

I wasn't even thinking about climate change, although that is a good point.

I was referencing America's backwards thinking about passive cooling. Our homes all used to have awnings that kept direct sunlight out in summer but allow it in winter, but with the advent of AC they were torn off to reassure potential buyers that the home had active cooling. And playgrounds rarely have trees planted because they require more maintenance than flat grass and the whole thing will be torn up in 5-10 years anyway.

Just to be transparent, I did not make this because I am a fan of Panic at the Disco's music. I'm just so old that I frequently think of this song.

I do wonder if they looked more official it would have been fine. A high-vis jacket and a deer fence.

Put up some wiring and stakes with flags. No city worker is going to go “oh I’d better check with dispatch to see if I’m supposed to mow over this tree”

They’ll just go around it and their job will be done.