Beyond Geoengineering | Jonathan Parfrey on Simple Fixes for a Hotter Planet

Climate Resolve founder Jonathan Parfrey explains how his organization is pioneering simple, physics-based solutions to extreme heat and wildfire risk, like "cool roofs" and "cool pavements" that are already changing the landscape of Los Angeles. Discover the counterintuitive economic findings from their in-depth study of the Woolsey Fire, and learn about future-forward ideas like "mood ring roofs" and resilience districts.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Negative Solar Forcing: The science of reflecting sunlight back into space using smarter surface materials.

• Cool Roofs & Pavements: How L.A. installed 100,000 cool roofs and how reflective pavement lowered air temperatures by 3.5°F in a test neighborhood.

• The "Mood Ring Roof": A look at the lab-developed technology that changes roof color based on temperature.

• Lessons from the Woolsey Fire: A deep-dive into Climate Resolve's report on wildfire displacement.

• The Myth of the Burdened Community: The surprising discovery that "receiving communities" often see an economic boon after a disaster.

• The Insurance Problem: Why underinsurance and unpermitted structures create major recovery hurdles.

• Resilience Districts: A bold proposal for funding local, multi-hazard mitigation efforts through property taxes.

• The Psychology of Smoke: The profound mental health impacts of prolonged wildfire smoke exposure in urban areas.