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California May Reduce Carbon Emissions By Banning Black Cars
Legislation may by 2016 restrict the paint color options for California residents looking for a new car. Black and all dark hues are currently on the banned list. The California Air Resources Board says that the climate control systems of dark-colored cars need to work harder than their lighter siblings — especially after sitting in the sun for a few hours.
Come on, what next Vermont only allowing black cars so the climate systems don't have to work as hard in winter?
There is no way this can pass legislation.
In the not too distant future, next Sunday A.D.
My old VW's climate control system was my windows. How's that gonna work harder in a black car?
It isn't a ban on black cars. It is a requirement that at least some fraction of all solar radiation be reflected so cars don't heat up that much.
A car with "black" paint, as long as that paint reflects UV and IR, and at least scatters some light (You want a glossy paintjob anyway), combined with UV/IR reflective window treatments, will meet the requirement.
And true, it may cost $50/car to $150/car more, but on the other hand, the cars won't get so miserably hot when sitting in the sun. So it would actually benefit most consumers.
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..but if the California's legislatures spent as much time trying to find a way out of their financial crisis as they do coming up with asinine bills like this, they just *might* come out with a budget surplus some day..
I'm pretty sure that a white hummer is worse for the environment then a small black sedan.
The fact we are politely discussing the merits of this proposal instead of laughing at and/or preparing boiling oil for the idiots responsible shows we have lost the Republic our mighty forebearers gave us in trust.
The idea that a Free People would meekly submit to some pinheads who will tell us what color we can paint our cars is laughable. So obviously this, among hundreds equally insane examples, proves we are no longer such a nation.
Democrat delenda est
I heard a representative of the concrete industry on NPR a couple months ago (and double-checked here) saying that the city of Atlanta reduced its average temperature by six degrees, just by switching to lighter-colored concrete instead of darker-colored asphalt. That will affect the cooling requirements of buildings, even without any change to the buildings themselves.
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Why is it that when some one finally tells us that we must do things the smart way instead of the wasteful way, we start screaming at them? Are we all teenagers?
1. Paint your car a color that reflects light.
2. Inflate your tires.
3. Drive slower.
Each of these will improve your fuel economy noticeably. None of them require you to drive less or get a dinky car. What's the case for not doing them -- contrariness?
"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
Actually dirty cars have a lower drag coefficient. It seems odd but wind tunnel test have shown that a polished & waxed race car has a higher drag coefficient than an primed only car. The small rough particles keep the airstream up off the surface of the car thus only offering resistance on a small percentage of the body. The next particle of dirt sits under the airstream in the same way a second car behind "drafts" to reduce drag. And since we already aren't supposed to wash our cars in the driveway and must pay to use someone else's hose It's probably only a matter of time before we must drive dirty cars.
Just like the government. Always trying to keep the black van down...