White Is Cool

Want to stay cool without air conditioning? Interested in shrinking your carbon footprint without investing in acres of trees? Concerned about global warming and want to do your part?

It's easy. And it's cheap. All you need is a can of white paint.

Light colors absorb less heat than dark colors. That's why we wear white before Labor Day — to stay cool in the summer sun. It's why Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu suggested painting our roads white to reduce global warming. And it's the reason why so many cost-conscious American families are turning to white roofs as a way to keep cool for just pennies a day while lowering their own carbon responsibilities.

According to an article in the New York Times, "Art Rosenfeld, a member of the California Energy Commission … argues that turning all of the world’s roofs 'light' over the next 20 years could save the equivalent of 24 billion metric tons in carbon dioxide emissions." That amount is roughly the amount of CO2 emitted by the whole world in a year. “So, in a sense," said Rosenfeld, "it’s like turning off the world for a year.”

Not only is it cheap and easy to paint your roof white, you can even get a government subsidy for doing so. And there's no need to choose a garish shade like bright white: even ecru, ivory and eggshell tints can lower your cooling bills.

So make a fashion statement. Go white for the season — and beyond!

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com and creativecommons.org.