A simple climate adaptation strategy in LA

Los Angeles is not a city I am often prone to praising, but its Cool LA Project is praiseworthy indeed.

For the past four years, LA has been painting its roads with a pale grey-coloured coating, as well as planting more trees, prioritizing neighbourhoods with a lot of concrete and asphalt and little shade. 

Lightening the colour of its roads means that they absorb less heat throughout the day, which can reduce surface temperatures by as much as 25° F (8°C). The difference is apparently palpable, and it must be especially so at the moment during yet another Southern Californian heatwave.

I have to assume that it is also ameliorating the heat island effect and reducing LA's incessant need for air conditioning, although I haven't seen any analysis to that effect (or indeed if such an analysis is even possible).

But kudos to LA. Simple solutions, concrete (sic) results.

UPDATE

Nashville, Tennessee, is also getting in on on the act, with a very similar project.