Pirate's Cove

Actually, these are two good ideas to implement, regardless of whether the Hysterics want them in order to stop AGW. First: Reactivating Nuclear Reactors for the Fight against Climate Change

The federal government echoes those sentiments. The Bush administration pushed though loan guarantees, whereby the costs of delays in construction would be paid for by U.S. taxpayers, and the Obama administration has indicated its support for new nuclear power plants. “Nuclear power, as I said before, is going to be an important part of our energy mix,” said physicist Steven Chu, Obama’s secretary of energy during his confirmation hearing on January 14. “It’s 20 percent of our electricity generation today, but it is 70 percent of the carbon-free portion of electricity today. And it is baseload. So I think it is very important that we push ahead.” He added: “There is certainly a changing mood in the country because nuclear is carbon-free, that we should look at it with new eyes.”

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) agrees, noting that nuclear could make “an increasing contribution to carbon-free electricity and heat in the future” provided that fuel constraints, costs, waste management, safety and “adverse public opinion” could be overcome.

The only problem that comes to mind is that so many of the “Man is killing the planet with CO2!!!!!!” hysterics are also anti-nuclear power, too. Nuclear would be a great way to reduce coal usage, and you can get quite a bit of power out of them. Quite frankly, the French have done a great job with their plants, and, as much as it pains me, we should emulate them.

Next up: Can global warming be tackled with white paint?

In a new study, a scientist has come up with the suggestion that global warming may be tackled with white paint.

According to a report in The Guardian, the scientist in question is Hashem Akbari from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, US, who suggests painting roads and the rooftops of buildings with the color white to fight global warming.

Theory is based on the concept that white colour reflects enough of sunlight and heat back to the atmosphere which will help to delay global warming.

He wants dozens of the world’s largest cities to unite in an effort to replace the dark-coloured materials used to cover roads and roofs with something a little more reflective.

Study has shown that buildings with white roofs stay cooler during the summer. The change reduces the way heat accumulates in built-up areas (known as the urban heat island effect) and allows people who live and work inside to switch off power-hungry air conditioning units.

Dark roofs reflect about 10-20 percent of sunlight, while white surfaces tend to send back at least half.

This is actually a good idea, regardless of whether it is for climate change/global warming or not. One of the causes of supposed temperature increases in urban areas is the use of heat trapping materials, such as blacktop and roofing materials. And there are many other causes of the increased heat in these urban areas, which is known as the Urban Island Effect. Using white paint or lighter colored materials for roofs and roadways will reduce the heat that is held, and, lower power bills. I’ve always wondered who thought it would be a great idea to make roofs a darker color. Maybe up in Canada and Alaska it’s a good idea, but, North Carolina in the summer? Nope.

The only thing to consider in the equation would be “are we sending too much light back out?” which could lead to a massive reduction in temperatures.

And, just to be perfectly clear, I like these two ideas, regardless.

Now, all you AGW Believers get out there and paint your roofs! (I)  8;)