Cool pavement in L.A.

[glennrocksvb]

It's summer here in the U.S. and temperatures in Los Angeles reach dangerous levels, so the city has started a pilot project to test out the "cool pavement".

To combat temperatures that reach 130 -140 degrees Fahrenheit on the road's surface, the city of Los Angeles has started a pilot project to test out the cool pavement where 15 streets were covered with this asphalt-based paint-like substance to cool down the streets by about 11-13 degrees Fahrenheit and therefore cools down the buildings around them.



It might not seem like a lot, but according to the report by Environmental Protection Agency, if 35% of LA's streets were covered with a reflective surface like this, it would translate into a 1-degree drop in temperature throughout the city, which means around $100 million per year in energy savings.

Please click the link below for more details.

[shining]

Wow... thats interesting and a cool idea

[NumNum]

Now imagine if every city in the world could do this, the impact it would have on global climate.

[glennrocksvb]

Now imagine if every city in the world could do this, the impact it would have on global climate.

That would be awesome!

[William]

Now imagine if every city in the world could do this, the impact it would have on global climate.

I was reading the LA Times not too long ago. The article was discussing the extreme heat produced from Solar Energy Farms which incinerate thousands upon thousands of birds every year. Acres upon Acres literally get so hot above the solar panels that birds flying overhead are incinerated instantly - poof. Hopefully, this attempt to cool the pavement will offset the difference in Green Energy. For example, solar panels are made with cadmium telluride and in manufacturing these green energy solutions use coal and other toxic plants. But of course, if birds mean anything to you then you'll hate wind farms. Not to mention the impact dams have on aquatic life. A city concerned about its sky scrapers killing massive amounts of birds and affecting migrating patterns of insects is a good thing. Likewise, trying to offset the damage from its sources of power.

As for every other city impacting global climate I doubt that other cities would benefit due to climate. Not everyone lives in such severe conditions as populating the middle of the desert.

You'll have to excuse my skepticism as I am from Northern California, where we provide water for Southern Californian elites to water mega yards and gulf courses.

Cracks me up whenever a water restriction is placed upon us up here, only to read where some Hollywood celebrity refuses to stop watering a 20 acre yard. The hypocrisy offsets any solutions we may come up with. For example, if America restricts emissions but China does not where does that leave us? And if we do restrict emissions, nature will surely take care of the offset next time a volcano erupts.

Don't get me wrong, I think awareness can be quite powerful and we should do what we can in order to be good stewards with what is entrusted to us. Even if that means laying down some white paint in the middle of all that frying desert sand.

Enjoy,
William