Obama's Energy Advisor: all roofs should be painted white to stop Global Warming!

[StayTrue]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/5389278/Obamas-green-guru-calls-for-white-roofs.html


Professor Steven Chu, the US Energy Secretary, said the unusual proposal would mean homes in hot countries would save energy and money on air conditioning by deflecting the sun's rays.

More pale surfaces could also slow global warming by reflecting heat into space rather than allowing it to be absorbed by dark surfaces where it is trapped by greenhouse gases and increases temperatures.


The Nobel Prize-winning physicist said the US was not considering any large scale "geo-engineering" projects where science is used to reverse global warming, but was in favour of "white roofs everywhere".

He said lightening roofs and roads in urban environments would offset the global warming effects of all the cars in the world for 11 years.

"If you look at all the buildings and if you make the roofs white and if you make the pavement more of a concrete type of colour rather than a black type of colour and if you do that uniformally, that would be the equivalent of... reducing the carbon emissions due to all the cars in the world by 11 years – just taking them off the road for 11 years," he said.

The three day Nobel laureate Symposium will end in a memorandum that is likely to influence any international agreement on climate change at the end of this year in Copenhagen.

Environmentalists insist the developed world must commit to cutting carbon emissions in order to set an example for poorer countries.

Secretary Chu said he was optimistic the US could lead the way through energy efficiency measures and boosting the use of renewables like solar, wind, nuclear and clean coal.

"The US will move, inevitably it will move first, as a more developed country we should be moving first, and I hope China will follow," he said.

The symposium has gathered some 60 scientific experts and 20 Nobel Laureates to talk about climate change.

The high level meeting, hosted by the Royal Society and the Prince of Wales, is likely to influence any international agreement on climate change at the end of this year.





WOW.

My roof will not be painted white

[Danke]

I have a flat roof, and it is white. I'm doing my part.

[paulitics]

I think we will all be happier if everything was white. Why do we need those drab colors that absorb all of that sunlight, and cause evrything to heat up. Don't you want to live in a brighter, happier world? I know I do. I'm going to start wearing nothing but white starting tomorrow.

[Up The Deise]

I get some right laugh off these looney toons.

Here's a list of things caused by global warming: http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm

Be afraid, be very *gulp* very afraid.

[orafi]

omfg he is racist. ACLU!!!!! NAACP!!!! OMG

[zach]

LOL.

The Red Jackets will come marching in as we paint white on our roofs.

..because we choose to!

[MsDoodahs]

The roof on our house when we lived in FL was white, and the cost to keep that place cool was quite low. Was a pleasant surprise.

When we get a new roof here, I intend to make sure it is white, because I expect the cost for cooling the place will go down with a white roof.

[ChaosControl]

Almost makes me want to paint a roof black, but I'm not big into the whole cutting off your nose to spite your face thing.

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Law of (Unintended?) Consequences: Americans en masse paint the roofs of their houses white. Subsequently, it becomes far easier for satellites, Predator Drones, Helicopters and the like utilizing FLIR/Thermographic Imaging to see the interiors more clearly.

[idiom]

Almost makes me want to paint a roof black,

I see a red roof and I want it painted black...

[ceakins]

Law of (Unintended?) Consequences: Americans en masse paint the roofs of their houses white. Subsequently, it becomes far easier for satellites, Predator Drones, Helicopters and the like utilizing FLIR/Thermographic Imaging to see the interiors more clearly.

Not really since there would be a ton of infrared getting bounced back washing out any image.

[akihabro]

I know some of us have insulation in our attic, but doesn't a black roof help keep the house warm in the winter? That would reduce electrical usage and hence this fallible global warming.
Has anyone here studied global warming and actually read in these reports that despite trees needing CO2 we are producing too much?

[Dieseler]

I definitely intend for my next home to have a white roof.
Don't really buy the global warming thing but I sure do pay a heck of a cooling bill and a white roof just makes sense as far as bringing that down.

[jsu718]

omfg he is racist. ACLU!!!!! NAACP!!!! OMG

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2292/thatsracist.gif

[JK/SEA]

A black roof absorbs heat during the winter, which means i don't use as much electricity.

Would be nice to be able to flip my roof over to expose the white side during summer, or maybe have the roof half white, half black? or maybe just leave me the hell alone?...

[noxagol]

Someone needs to make a paint that turns white when it is hot and black when it is cold.

[Original_Intent]

Just make a roof that gets dark during cold weather and light during warm weather. well ,at least to help with heating/cooling costs.

It just amazes me that people would think this would make a butterfly's fart worth of difference to the climate. A Nobel physicist, no less. :rolleyes:

[AutoDas]

Are the Africans going to change their skin color if I paint my house?

[Mesogen]

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2292/thatsracist.gif

DAMN!

Beat me to it.


Anyway, I'm wondering how much "global warming" would come from everyone in the world using latex-based paint that's embedded with titanium dioxide, because that's what white paint is.

Think of all the solvents and petroleum products needed to make that latex. And all the mining that goes into getting titanium out of the ground.

Then there would be latex, like, everywhere.

[Danke]

I have a flat roof, and it is white. I'm doing my part.

Oh, almost forgot. I checked and inflated my car tires last week too. So I'm doubly good.

[Objectivist]

Here's the other idiots handy work...
Carter installed a wood burning stove to keep warm in the White House and ran around turning thermostats down as an energy plan. Not to mention the shutdown of our Nuclear Energy Industry, MORON!
YouTube - President Jimmy Carter - Report to the Nation on Energy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmlcLNA8Zhc)
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngmajorleg/ngact1978.html
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Proclamation_4495

[Objectivist]

I think we will all be happier if everything was white. Why do we need those drab colors that absorb all of that sunlight, and cause evrything to heat up. Don't you want to live in a brighter, happier world? I know I do. I'm going to start wearing nothing but white starting tomorrow.

White also reflects light back into the atmosphere. If you live in Arizona I think it's a good idea. But living in a cooler climate you'd spend more heating your home.

[Objectivist]

http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm

We've been warmer and cooler and only an arrogant ass would suggest we can alter the inevitable changes of the earths climate.

[jkr]

oled pv combo waffer.
moth-eye configuration.
on a hemp plastic substrate.
pyrex outer layer.
printable.
white when ya want black when you don't...sometimes i feel like a nut, sometimes i don't.
house whatever color you like.
for ENTIRE exterior.

property fo Jason Rupert 5.27.2009

now THAT'S IP BABY!!

[Carson]

Or maybe black if you live in Alaska or the Antarctic.

Or gray if you... o' forget it.

[akihabro]

Oh, almost forgot. I checked and inflated my car tires last week too. So I'm doubly good.

Its a good idea to check your tire pressure so you won't get stuck in nowhere with a flat. Its also good so you won't have to replace your tires more often than necessary. Don't worry about the increased gas mileage from proper inflation...just worry about how often you need to replace those rear tires from your V-8 powered burnouts!

Let's see what you save the earth Prius drivers do when N. Korea explodes a nuke over L.A and we get EMP'ed. Your gonna be stuck on your bike! I'll be happy to still be driving around...till my gas runs out.

[Reason]

We should paint the tops of our heads white too!

[Objectivist]

Ya think?