90% of Global Warming is due to Blacktop's and rooftop's.

On a hard minus twenty degree winter day the blacktop's around my house hold a temperature of 54 degrees. On a Hot 90 Degree day during the Summer my black paved driveway holds a temperature of 110 well after midnight.

90% of of global warming is due to radiant heat. %7 is due to CO2 emissions from cars and factory's. Our atmosphere traps no more then 3% of the Sun's heat that encases the Earth.

Painting the street's and rooftops green or white means global warming = solved.

You really have a valid point with this. I'm not saying that because you or anyone else said I should think that, but because what you're saying passes the logic test. It's not often a theory in this area comes along that makes practical sense.

Now how would we all go about doing something to mitigate the effects this might actually have?

A recent scientific study produced by the Department of Unrelenting Heliocentricity (DUH) has linked global warming to a giant star in the center of our solar system.

reply to post by SelfSustainedLoner


Really?
I would type something else but I think its worthless. No, wait:
Do you have any scientific data to back that up? Because, under my simulations, mankind has little to no imput in global warming, at all.

Edit: Jesus you made me spew my breakfast...
Lol, someone is already giving it the "sound & logic" clearance, you really have to start to wonder whats going on here in ATS...

reply to post by Juanxlink


Well nobody can actually pinpoint every cause of global warming and the percentage effect it has. They know some of the things responsible and they know the average temperature is going up but that's about it.

Even more unknown is the effect it's having on climate change. I think the OP is on to something with this theory however his number, 90%, might be a tad bit high

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
You really have a valid point with this. I'm not saying that because you or anyone else said I should think that, but because what you're saying passes the logic test. It's not often a theory in this area comes along that makes practical sense.

Now how would we all go about doing something to mitigate the effects this might actually have?

Not sure whether it has anything to do with "global warming"....but logically, I will say that asphalt and building material does absorb heat around it and adds to the atmospheric conditions.

Think how cool it would be to use reflective materials to pave roads and have "green" roof tops with grass and flower gardens...use solar for heating and cooling....go natural...

Then again...too much of a challenge for creative minds?...Thinking outside the box is a thing of the past, huh?

Global warming solved, sure. But then we would be working towards an ice age once everything is painted white. I take it this is some sort of concept you thought of? (I don't disagree, don't get me wrong here) My take is this: Earth does not care what we are doing now or have done in the past, and will shake us off like a dog shakes itself dry when it wants. Again, as it has in the past.

reply to post by Sek82


Very good point.

I award you a gold star

Lol, funny you trying to convince someone about the effect on some tiny fraction of surface being black as to a cause for global warming. And I thought the idea was to deny ignorance...

Originally posted by Holly N.R.A.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
You really have a valid point with this. I'm not saying that because you or anyone else said I should think that, but because what you're saying passes the logic test. It's not often a theory in this area comes along that makes practical sense.

Now how would we all go about doing something to mitigate the effects this might actually have?

Not sure whether it has anything to do with "global warming"....but logically, I will say that asphalt and building material does absorb heat around it and adds to the atmospheric conditions.

Think how cool it would be to use reflective materials to pave roads and have "green" roof tops with grass and flower gardens...use solar for heating and cooling....go natural...

Then again...too much of a challenge for creative minds?...Thinking outside the box is a thing of the past, huh?

I didn't suggest this would account for long term global warming as a whole, but the phenomenon related to unique weather above major cities has been pretty well covered over the years. It's a transient thing, but real enough and it sure feels like global warming in that local area I suppose.

I certainly agree it would be nice and certainly easy enough to alter the way we do things like reflective colors. I swear I've seen things about Phoenix using this whole concept to maximum effect in how they designed an area of the city itself. Seems a small enough thing, huh?

Perhaps it does carry into at least a regional effect for the more densely industrialized areas. I'm thinking about the near unbroken city from San Diego to Santa Barbara in California or the vast metropolis that is the Eastern Seaboard.... Who knows.. I've heard stranger things as long as no one is suggesting it's the magic solution to a *global* problem I still question exists at all.

Originally posted by SelfSustainedLoner
On a hard minus twenty degree winter day the blacktop's around my house hold a temperature of 54 degrees. On a Hot 90 Degree day during the Summer my black paved driveway holds a temperature of 110 well after midnight.

I like were you're going with the idea in general but...

90% of of global warming is due to radiant heat. %7 is due to CO2 emissions from cars and factory's. Our atmosphere traps no more then 3% of the Sun's heat that encases the Earth.

For one what source(s) are you using for the stat?

This statistic adds to 100% yet it doesn't take into account non-C02 greenhouse gasses? What about gas emission from wild animals? From the ocean..methane..?... after all the Ocean covers more surface then the ground.

Painting the street's and rooftops green or white means global warming = solved.

I like the idea of painting the streets and rooftops a color to be inline with sustainability! But would it be white? Grow rooms use white (and shiny metallic) to reflect the light back onto the plants...

Is the blackish surface radiating more heat then the reflective white? I am confused on that matter.

reply to post by SelfSustainedLoner


Please explain this to me then?

www.express.co.uk... limate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatT he-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-chang e-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-cli mate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreatThe-great-climate-change-retreat

This also please:- www.climatecooling.org...

We have scientists that are more worried that we are going to have a mini ice age, can yo uplease explain how global warming makes this possible?

Once you have done that, i am all yours and will agree 100 per cent with anything you say.

If our planet has been here for 4.5 billion years(www.talkorigins.org...), i think that it really can look after itself, i also think it is far more likely that the planet will have cycles that we do not understand, for example times when the earth get's hot and times when the earth gets cold, that sounds more logical do you not think?

Is it probablr that in 200 years, we have completely trashed the planet? no i doubt it, i do agree that we should be more responsible in how we do things though.

Originally posted by brommas
i am all yours and will agree 100 per cent with anything you say.

Wow. Quite the promise!

Regardless of whether the premise of Global Warming or Climate Change is "real". Do you believe in co-factors? That we contribute, however small? If you do, then what do you specifically think bout his coloring streets and rooftops a different color?

Yeah, maybe...

You've seen this?

Heat Island Effect: www.epa.gov...

Non sense.

What you are referring to is called the 'heat island effect' which in metropolitan areas, with contributions from black rooftops and asphalt (among many other things) can cause cities to be between 3 and 8 degrees warmer. However those black rooftops provide natural heat for buildings. Black asphalt provides better traction and keeps roads clearer somewhat from moisture. In very hot regions, where it is unnecessary to heat buildings, going to white makes sense. In terms of global warming, its caused by the sun. Also, the amount of land which is used/covered by black rooftops or asphalt is miniscule, too small to even be concerning. Also, in northern climates, black rooftops do save energy used for heating..

Also, the CO2 global warming argument is bull#. Mankind is responsible for 3% maximum of the CO2, and our contributions dont even compare to natural causes, like volcanoes or decaying forests/vegetation.

If we are serious about stopping global warming, stop cutting down all the forests. Stop using all the pesticides which get washed into river and oceans which raise ph, and cause dead zones, to which no algae/phytoplankton can oxygenate the water.

Changing the colors of rooftops, wouldnt really do anything, except in a major metropolis, where it may bring down the temperature a few degrees/

reply to post by underspace


I think it will have very little impact on anything, if you bother to read the links, then you may understand further, thanks for your pointless comment.

reply to post by brommas


Thanks for answering my questions and proving I made a pointless post and you didn't.

interesting solution! first you would need to determine what percentage of the earths surface is a roof, or pavement, or any other surface that your solution could be applied to. then you would need to figure out how much raw material you would need to paint it all white. then you would need to figure out of is the percentage calculated is large enough to make a difference, and if so how much.

now move on to the environmental impact, estimate how much energy would it require to produce all that paint or otherwise reflective coating. are fossil fuels use in the manufacture of the paint, are byproducts of its manufacture greenhouse gasses or other pollutants, how much waste does it make etc.

and finally how much would it cost in dollars including distribution, and paying all the painters.

Originally posted by underspace
I like the idea of painting the streets and rooftops a color to be inline with sustainability! But would it be white? Grow rooms use white (and shiny metallic) to reflect the light back onto the plants...

Is the blackish surface radiating more heat then the reflective white? I am confused on that matter.

I think the idea here is that black surfaces absorb the sun's rays, and return it slowly, in the infrared wavelength--heat. White, or other light colored surfaces, reflect the sun's rays without changing their wavelengths much, thus bouncing them back out into space.

Incidentally, it is theorized that this same reflective effect is what "locks in" an Ice Age. All that white surface, bouncing the sun's light energy back into space without using any of it. Very likely it takes a catastrophic event of some kind(some kind of massive meteoric impact) to jar the planet loose from the Ice Age again.

I should also like to mention that I am not supporting the OP's argument or opinion here. Just trying to answer your question.

reply to post by SelfSustainedLoner


You think you'd get more flags for this? I painted my roof white to cool off the house.
It cost about a grand and I saved that in air conditioning bills in about 9 months.

Lets do it.

I would start a movement in schools enlist kindergarteners from all over the planet.

Let THEM write letters, paint pictures and ask TPTB to paint all the roofs and roads white.