actually, the can't see analogy is almost better. There are lots of frequencies of light that aren't effective for photosynthesis (which is why halogens are effective for manipulating the photoperiod, while being useless for growing). The reason the leaves look green, is because the material that colors them (chlorophyll) reflects green light back, and absorbs the others- so all you see is what is reflected back, green. Therefore, the leaves quite literally just reflect back the green spectrum and can't tell there isn't light if that's all that's present (plants don't have brains after all, they work miraculously out of pure mechanical instinct). Any other color of course gets absorbed (or leaves would be a whiter/yellower color), thereby signaling to the plant that the sun is out.
Enough geek shit, point is, everyone's right. The reason everyone's right is just a bit of physics regarding light.
and yes i agree with the white paint, would be cleaner and easier.
