Your local park has a hidden talent: helping fight climate change

Most people in the United States live in cities. And most people who live in urban areas primarily get outside by going to city parks. Climate change is putting pressure on people and parks alike. On a warm night in Washington, D.C. neighbors gather to put on their own July fireworks display. (Ryan Kellman/NPR)

Consider the unremarkable city park. A postage stamp of green amid the concrete. Trees, swings, grass, a basketball hoop.

Maybe your park has a public pool. Maybe it has a walking path or a barbecue grill or a leafy spot that's good for watching birds. Yosemite it is not. Your park is not a vacation destination. Instead, it's something much more valuable: a little piece of nature, right where you live.