L.A. Paints Their Streets White To Combat Climate Change

[Johnny Mac]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/los-an...ts-white-and-the-reasons-why-are-pretty-cool/

In the race to combat climate change, the city of Los Angeles is employing a surprising new tactic -- covering its streets in a grayish-white coating known as CoolSeal. It's sprayed onto the roadway with trucks, then spread across the surface with squeegees. However, its impact extends far beyond the edge of the pavement.

By cooling the ambient air, lighter-colored asphalt can also help prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths. Its higher reflectivity can save on energy needed to illuminate streets and parking lots when the sun starts to set. And according to the EPA, the air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and water quality depletion driven by heat islands can be mitigated by cool pavements as well.

The innovative sealcoat is admittedly very pricey, with L.A. reportedly footing a $40,000 bill for every mile it "paints." But advocates say its benefits may just be priceless.

Talk amongst yourselves and discuss....

 

[Falsedawn]

I think OP's an idiot for being unable to comment.

 

[Johnny Mac]

I think OP's an idiot for being unable to comment.

I see you had no comment.

 

[Falsedawn]

I see you had no comment.

I didn't post the thread.

 

[HomerThompson]

L.A. racist CONFIRMED.

 

[Mark Hunts FIST]

Good idea. Seems costly right now.

 

[Contra-dictator]

I think OP's an idiot for being unable to comment.

 

[Falsedawn]

 

[KILL KILL]

If the benefits outweigh the cost, then I don't see the problem. It's can get hot as fuck in LA, and pavement contributes to it, which is why cities are generally several degrees warmer than the outlying suburbs.

 

[Contra-dictator]

 

[TheFirstEMP]

A waste of money.
A distraction.
A hazard.
Will be useless in a matter of months.

 

[KILL KILL]

A waste of money.
A distraction.
A hazard.
Will be useless in a matter of months.

Please elaborate.

 

[milliniar]

Hollywood always white washing.

 

[Leagon]

I think it's really cool, even if just from an aesthetic perspective. People used to come to America for the "streets paved in gold." Now they can go to LA for its Ivory roads. Make it a tourist attraction to help offset costs.

I'm assuming the white color lasts for years and won't be zebra striped as soon as someone brakes hard on it?

 

[TheFirstEMP]

Please elaborate.

A waste of money. - $40,000 per mile
A distraction. - Huge amounts of glare
A hazard. - See glare, also supposedly becomes more slick with rain.
Will be useless in a matter of months. - The elements and daily drivers will destroy that street rather quickly

 

[AlexDB9]

The hot sun beats down the black asphalt? ....and these racist motherfuckers paint it white!? They should paint it even more black cause the sun is a racist asshole

 

[Deleted member 457759]

I'm not sure if it's been factored into the climate change science. But the amount of earth covered in concrete has risen steadily for decades. Go on Google earth and zoom in on China, Europe, the eastern seaboard of the US.

Lots of the earth is covered in concrete and its specific heat is quite high. This has to have effected the earths heat budget.

 

[HockeyBjj]

Seems a longshot but worth it to at least experiment and try out. Aside from the overall global warming that I've seen some theories blaming blacktop in big cities in desserts on (Phoenix is like 15 degrees warmer than the dessert around it), there's all sorts of stats that cooler temperatures = less crime

Miami can basically be assured of a 3-5x the average murder week if it gets above 110 for 3+ days

 

[EL CORINTHIAN]

there's all sorts of stats that cooler temperatures = less crime

My brother told me it's mostly because criminals aren't as active when they are outside freezing their nut sacks off. They tend to hibernate and get depressed like the rest of humanity.

 

[Bloodworth]

40 000 a mile is a decent price