The Nobel prize-winning physicist appointed by President Obama as US Energy Secretary wants to change the colour of roofs, roads and pavements so they reflect more of the Sun’s light and heat to combat global warming, he said today.
Professor Steven Chu, speaking at the opening of the St James’s Palace Nobel Laureate Symposium, for which The Times is media partner, said this simple and “completely benign” approach to “geo-engineering” could have a vast impact at low cost.
It seems like such an obvious idea that I imagine that anyone who wasn't a Nobel winning physicist would feel a little bit embarrassed proposing it.
If it would actually works as effectively and at as little cost as Chu claims then I'm a little surprised that the idea hasn't featured more prominently in ideas for reducing global warming.Environmentalists appear to prefer solutions that are costly and would entail radical changes to how we live.
10 comments:
Are you insane?
Bjorn Lomborg suggested it, which is why environmentalists have ignored the idea. It was in a Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/nov/18/paintitwhite
'Environmentalists appear to prefer solutions that are costly'Otherwise how would we all know that what they are doing is important? I mean, if Joe Smith can pop out with a pot of Dulux at the weekend, we don't need an army of 'experts' to tell us what to do.
It's a shame that WH security staff would probably veto one common-sense idea around - lots of leafy plants close to buildings to cut air-con energy consumption.
BTW, is the musical title intentional or is it just a happy Welsh coincidence? Either way, I can't stop humming it now.
"Are you insane?".
Possibly.
"Bjorn Lomborg suggested it, which is why environmentalists have ignored the idea. ".
Oh right, I didn't know that. That makes me feel better about liking the idea.
"if Joe Smith can pop out with a pot of Dulux at the weekend, we don't need an army of 'experts' to tell us what to do.".
True we couldn't have that.
"Environmentalists appear to prefer solutions that are costly and would entail radical changes to how we live."
Not a bug. A feature...
Environmentalists appear to prefer solutions that are costly and would entail radical changes to how we live.
Don't they ever.
"Not a bug. A feature...".
Yes, the environment does seem like a pretext a lot of the time.
You might find this calculation of interest.
Also this is relevant:
He calculates the saving noting:
You must drive 12,500 kilometers with your car to warm the Earth by the same picodegree that you "save" by painting your roof white.
Anon, thanks for that link, I've only just seen your comment so apologies for the delay in responding.
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