But he wants Phoenix's forthcoming Tree and Shade Master Plan to take a more nuanced approach to placing trees, which has to start with going back to some basics.

The NFS said shade from two 25-foot tall trees on the west side of the house plus one 25-footer on the east side could save you almost 25 percent of your air conditioning cost if you live in the ...

In 2023, Phoenix's investment in tree shade soared. The city maintained the $400,000 investment in tree replacement, plus added $1.46 million annually for tree planting over the next five years.

Many neighborhoods in south and west Phoenix, for instance, have a tree cover rate of only 1-3%. Mesa also started an initiative in 2023 to shade 15% of its city by 2050.

The Phoenix City Council updated a 2010 plan to keep streets cool. The Phoenix shade canopy will soon expand due to a Wednesday vote.