Would painting the house roofs with a reflective white paint help reduce global warming? (by reflecting UVray)

Question

I read somewhere that the ice reflects UV rays, and melting causes an even faster rate of global warming. I know even if this worked we still have more to worry about, I just wonder if it would work.

Answer 1

Yes.

Greenhouse gases absorb returning infrared, not the visual and UV being reflected off of roof tops. This would make a difference, especially after sunset, when the darker roofed homes are radiating more of the accumulated heat back into space. This re-radiated heat is what the Greenhouse effect retains.

But the bigger difference is the energy savings in cooling the home during warmer months, since less sunlight will be absorbed. During the winter months, you will save a little on nighttime heating costs because less heat will be lost through the roof. Daytime winter will mean not being able to take advantage of the Sun's heat, but this won't be as big a factor in places where it snows anyway - plus the days are shorter to begin with.

Answer 2

Yes, if it was affordable. Edit: Michael's wrong. Roughly 3% of the earth's surface is covered with buildings. The earth reflects about 29% of the sunlight that falls on it. Towns reflect more sunlight that the global average. Painting all roofs white could nudge the reflection up to 30% - this would lead to a drop in global temperature of up to 1 c - almost exactly cancelling out the global warming that has taken place since the start of the industrial revolution.

Answer 3

No, it wouldn't. First of all, UV radiation isn't the kind that causes warming--that is infrared radiation. In addition, most of the actual area of the earths surface that building s cover is VERY small--way less than 1%--not enoough to make a difference--especially since reflecting the infrared energy (heat) back into the atmosphere won't help much--the greenhouse effect will still trap it.

Answer 4

No, it wouldn't the light rays and heat coming off the sun would reflect off of the white paint yes, but because of the greenhouse gasses already in the atmosphere the heat will still be trapped within the atmosphere

Answer 5

Yes, but not much. Anything that increases Earth's albedo (reflectivity) would help. But the area of all the roofs on Earth is very small compared to the area of everything else.

Answer 6

Well in the 70s it was proposed that carbon dust be spread on the polar ice caps to fend off the coming ice age. Your idea is about as practical for an event that is just as likely to happen

Answer 7

Only if they were flat. Or you could paint the entire state of Texas white to counteract global warming.

Answer 8

A little far fetched but hey Ive seen allot far fetched ideas work . I have to give you credit your using you brain and thinking .Allot of these people in hear are still pointing there finger at each other calling people like you nuts but to me people like you are the solution.

That kind of reminds me of Sponge Bob when they where in the future and they painted everything chrome

Answer 9

Bandaid measure of uncertain efficacy.

Switch the energy economy to geothermally generated electricty, solve the problem rather than trying to use stop gap measures that don't really adress the problem.

Answer 10

If we all did it it may have an effect. Not all the radiation from the sun would be trapped by the atmosphere.