US Energy Sec. recommends painting roads to white fights global warming

[1SICKLEX]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- America should attack global warming by ... painting rooftops and road surfaces white.

Seriously. No kidding.

Among those promoting the idea is Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a big-thinking physicist who has a bully pulpit and influence over billions in research and stimulus funds.

Chu spoke about the idea at a London conference last month while Congress was busy hashing out a complex, 1,400-page bill to cut greenhouse gases.

Whitening the world's roofs and roads would have the same effect on global warming as removing all the world's cars for 11 years, he said.

"So I'd like to appeal to all people -- we should convert to white limousines," he said.

Chu was joking about the limousines, of course. But his proposal for addressing climate change is genuine.

It sounds kooky, but environmentalists say the idea is legit.

They say recent research shows it's even more beneficial than previously thought. Moreover the Energy Department, flush with $38 billion in stimulus money, is in a position to make it happen.

Chu's comments were based on recent research from Arthur Rosenfeld, a former colleague of Chu's at the Energy Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Chu's all cars for 11 years number is meant to be illustrative -- no one really expects all roofs and all roads will be painted white.

But for new projects and some retrofits, it does make sense.

A white roof has three benefits:

* It keeps buildings cooler, reducing the amount of energy required for air conditioning.
* It reduces the so-call "heat island" effect, the heating up of entire urban areas which then causes other buildings in the vicinity to heat up, whether they are in direct contact with the sun or not.
* A white roof or road will actually reflect the sun's rays back into space, keeping the atmosphere cooler.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/13/news...ion=2009071314

[Khalifa247]

Rooftops seems okay, white roads would be a negative, 1 they will get all scuffed and eventually be black again anyway, 2 could you imagine white roads somewhere that gets snow or has issues with ice? 3 what a waste of money, if you only had new roads white the effects would not be worth the cost but then again, I am not an authoritative figure in the matter.

[BanginJimmy]

lol at anyone thinking global warming is even real or man-made.

[okra1981]

Also, you would be blinded during the day from all of the light bouncing off of the roads, it would be so unsafe. Then we'd have to invest in polarized windshields and other crap, ahh, the effects are endless (secretly wonders why nobody has polarized a windshield yet).

[.blank cd]

They've already started doing this. They repaved the NW side of 75 from 575 to exit 290 I believe with white pavement instead of black. You can defintely feel a difference, like if you walked outside to get your mail barefoot and you walk from your white driveway to the black pavement, it feels twice as hot

Okra, some cars already have polarized windshields. Bentleys, Mercedes, and a couple Cadillacs. There are others, but I cant think of em off the top of my head

[okra1981]

Huh, that's cool, I didn't realize that, I dub them Oakley cars, and I'm probably years late on this nomenclature.
I haven't been up 75 in a bit, I might take a detour to check that out, which will completely negate the help by making me drive out of the way to see a white road.

[eraser4g63]

lol at anyone thinking global warming is even real or man-made.

Don't be a denier..... LOL

[speedminded]

Anyone driven on painted surfaces in the rain? lololol! fail.

They've already started doing this. They repaved the NW side of 75 from 575 to exit 290 I believe with white pavement instead of black. You can defintely feel a difference, like if you walked outside to get your mail barefoot and you walk from your white driveway to the black pavement, it feels twice as hot

Okra, some cars already have polarized windshields. Bentleys, Mercedes, and a couple Cadillacs. There are others, but I cant think of em off the top of my head

You're a nut. It's concrete! Concrete is harder and more durable lasting so much longer than asphalt plus it's less susceptible to damage from temperature changes. It just costs A LOT more to put down.