# Cooling Earth by Using Mirrors to Reflect Sunlight with Dr. Ye Tao, Founder and Executive Director of MEER

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2024-07-18
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 57
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/18pv5rl8-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-dr-ye-tao

## Summary

Dr. Ye Tao, Founder and Executive Director of MEER (Mirrors for Earth's Energy Rebalancing), explains his company's approach to using ultra-thin reflective films to mitigate global warming. He argues that renewable energy alone is insufficient due to the loss of aerosol cooling effects and the massive energy return on investment (EROI) required for carbon removal. Tao details MEER's deployment of these mirrors on roofs in Sierra Leone to cool homes, as well as plans for agricultural shading and floating reservoir covers, noting that covering just 1% of Earth's surface could reduce global temperatures by 1°C.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=3) Introduction and MEER's Mission
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=243) The Aerosol Cooling Mask and Climate Urgency
- [15:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=958) Dimensional Reduction and Material Efficiency
- [22:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=1330) Energy ROI and the Limits of Renewable Solutions
- [28:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=1685) Local Cooling Mechanisms and Ecosystem Impact
- [39:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-07-18-cooling-earth-by-using-mirrors-to-reflect-sunlight-with-dr-ye-tao-founder-and-ex#t=2345) Deployment in Sierra Leone and Global Scaling

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- MEER (company)
- Harvard (company)
- MIT (company)
- ETH Zurich (company)
- Reflective Earth (company)
- PET (material)
- Mylar (material)

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## Citing this page

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