Paint it White

     It's no secret that the climate is changing. Observational science has shown that our planet's new warmth comes as a result of greenhouse gas emissions. Solutions to this issue run rampant with drastic variation and differing levels of support. The cause(s) may be up for debate between red and blue folks, but there is at least one new option worthy of unanimous, bipartisan endorsement.

I. The Issues

     The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--a United Nations-based group tasked with researching the global variance in temperature--claimed that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by approximately 31%, and CH4 by around 150% since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. This accumulation, they charge, comes as the by-product of "emissions from fossil fuel use, livestock, rice agriculture, and landfills" (Gitay, et al. 4-5).

 

      A. Polar Ice Regression

     Rising levels of greenhouse gasses have led to increased heat as radiation is unable to escape the Earth's atmosphere due to the overabundance of CO2, CH4, and other molecules. The effect of increased greenhouse gasses is most intense in cold, dry places such as the upper atmosphere and the polar icecaps. Added heat due to this process leads to the icecaps melting. As a result of this, two infinite loops occur. The first involves the atmospheric levels of water vapor--the most common greenhouse gas--increasing, thus intensifying the effect. Of course, this leads to more warming and consequently more water to evaporate--more vapor (Solomon, et al.). The second perpetual cycle, according to 350.org, occurs when "Arctic sea ice melts, the darker ocean absorbs more sunlight, becomes warmer, and speeds melting" (350.org).
     As white is the color that reflects light, it holds logically that the whitest lands--icy regions all over Earth--are the most beneficial in balancing our planet's radiation input/output. As these tundras recede and melt into the oceans, not only does the overall global temperature slowly rise, but the sea levels follow suit. According to the Panel on Climate Change via David Biello, the sea level rise between 1990 and 2100 is projected to be anywhere from about a foot to over four and a half feet. Coastal cities such as New York (with an average height above sea level of 16 feet) stand to lose substantial seaside and low-level land (Biello).

 

      B. Solar Power Conundrum

     Plenty of resolutions are extended for ebbing away from excessive emissions from fossil fuels and landfills. Solar panel installation is often suggested. In 2010 in New York City, a tax abatement for photovoltaic cell (PV cell) installation lead to 25 buildings receiving new solar power equipment (Solar Empowerment). However, similar change may be difficult to handle on many grounds--economically, socially, etc. Moreover, many Americans do not support the idea of the government mandating or financially supporting such measures.
     Logically, this reluctance makes sense. It's hard to rally behind the idea of tax dollars being spent on solar cell installation with the knowledge that over a quarter of PV cell installation costs in the United States comprises red tape and bureaucracy. Furthermore, the average time span in which a house is licensed for and equipped with the technology ranges from four to six months--compared to just over a week in Germany (Crane and Kennedy Jr.).

II. The New Solution

     Given that solar panels are costly and not immediate, world citizens stand behind another proposition drafting our rooftops in the fight against global warming: painting rooftops white. Without government influence, a media campaign encouraging citizens and business owners to splurge on a bucket or two of eggshell or ivory could go a long way. Utilities companies that profit from the current electricity system may not have economic interest in promoting solar panels, but should have no qualms with backing a movement to whitewash America's housetops.
     If this project were to gain momentum, the influx of white surface area on Earth will begin to supplement the reflection done by the now-diminishing icecaps. With any luck, such a move could hypothetically reverse the icecaps melting and water levels rising.
     Of course, there's no reason not to combine this technique with any other reasonable, effective measure of maintaining our planet. Coupling white-topped homes with energy and waste reduction could go a long way in preserving our natural resources for future generations. Perhaps with these efforts, the coastline of New York and other regions won't move as far inland as currently projected.

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(Analytical essay/works cited: http://tyleraveryawe.blogspot.com/p/analytic-reflection.html)