So do you think that painting your roof white would make a difference in your energy bill by a little? How about overall, reducing your carbon footprint?

Living in the South means that it is hot all summer. As they say: Mississippi has two seasons, Christmas and summer (or sometimes just hot depending on who you’re talking to). It is always hot, and it is always humid through the sweltering summer months of the year. Right now, in the end of May, it is almost unbearable outside due to the humidity.

However, the United States Energy Secretary Steven Chu said today that the Obama administration wants to paint roofs in the States white. White is, and always has been, a reflecting color. It makes sense considering if you were out in the mid-day heat of August and were wearing white, it wouldn’t be as unbearable as if you were wearing black or another dark color. Mr. Chu gave the speech at the climate change symposium in London on Tuesday.
Mr. Chu said that making roads and roofs a light color, such as white, could be the same as taking every single car off the roads (all over the world) for 11 years.

Here’s the biggest issue I have with the change, if someone is to change the color of their roof to white for the summer months to reduce cooling costs as well as to reduce the carbon footprint of each individual, then what about the winter months?

While there is a definite benefit during the summer, the sun helps warm my house in the winter so that my husband and I don’t use as much heat.

I have often wondered why roofs weren’t white to begin with. I have seen many roofs in pale colors, including strange shades of green, but I now wonder what the negative effect will be in the winter. I think that this would be a good idea for people who live even further south than I do. Perhaps those who live in very tropical climates would be better suited for the roof painting.

At the same time, knowing the consequences in the winter months, I would be willing to have a pale colored roof to help reduce the costs in the summer. Besides, most people burn natural gas in the winter and natural gas are better for the environment than the coal that our electric company goes through to cool and give light to our home.

Would you be willing to paint your roof (or put on pale colored shingles) to help reduce your energy costs in the summer? If so, where do you live and what’s the climate like?