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LIGHTEN UP, ROADS!

Dreamed 1994/6/28 by Chris Wayan


In my dreams, I'm looking at the US from space, and I get an idea to reduce global warming. Recycle surplus paint, by mixing it in with the asphalt used to surface roads, or even just by painting the surface! Housepaint is rather light on average--highways wouldn't be white, but certainly lighter than the present charcoal gray. That cools things: reflecting more sun as visible light means more of the energy can escape than if it were infrared. Stark white would cause glare problems on sunny days but even light pastel earthtones would cool the surfaces 10-20° I bet--and there's over 30,000 square miles of pavement in the US alone! One per cent of the total surface area. Might lower continental temperature a tenth of a degree--and when a degree or two is enough to change the climate, that's helpful.

Plus, since roads wouldn't be as hot, fewer cold-blooded animals would come out and sun themselves on them. Fewer road kills!

WHEN I WOKE

Out of five dreams I had that night, I woke up remembering this little one best. I thought happily "Hey, that'd work--every bit helps!"

Symbolism? What symbolism? My point here, I guess, is that we're all so swayed by Freud's idea that a dream can't mean what it seems to.

Why not?



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