White streets may seem strange and, to some, appealing; however, there is a scientific approach to the matter. LA has recently been painting residential streets white, not for aesthetic purposes, but for a new way of cooling our neighborhoods and cities.

This is an environmental movement. Do to recent temperature inclines in the past couple of decades, LA has taken action in trying to reduce the effects of global warming. Why would painting streets white reduce high temperatures? Nicknamed “polar science”, we know that darker colors, especially black streets, attract more heat. Since the majority of our city streets are made up of asphalt, it’s common sense that they could very well benefit from having white streets, which would reflect heat instead of absorbing it.

Going back to polar science, it is scientific fact that ice glaciers and snow caps reflect solar energy back into the atmosphere and into space. This is because of their white color; however, since temperatures have been rising due to global warming, our white ice glaciers and snow caps have been melting away. This is the cause of less solar energy being reflected back into space; and ultimately, rising temperatures around the world.

Although it cost $10,000 per installation, white streets will only benefit us in the future. Our cities will be cooler, we’ll use less energy on air conditioning, and our health will benefit as well. Although white streets may seem strange, what new invention hasn’t in the past? Maybe, white streets will be what our future generation’s norm.