Cleaning Up Concrete

Chances are you've heard about the environmental impacts of plastics and how air travel contributes to climate change, but did you know that there's a man-made substance that contributes more than double the emissions of the aviation industry? It's estimated that up to 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions is from the concrete industry--and this is mainly due to the production of cement, an essential ingredient in concrete. Sara and Casey discuss what needs to be done to clean up concrete on this 100th episode of A Little Greener! Resources for this episode: The Big Fix: Seven Practical Steps to Save Our Planet by Hal Harvey and Justin Gillis Cement vs. Concrete: A Case of Mistaken Identities Explained: Cement vs. concrete — their differences, and opportunities for sustainability | MIT News Concrete: the most destructive material on Earth | Cities | The Guardian MIT Researchers Develop New Additives For "Green" Concrete - CleanTechnica PPE Waste Makes Stronger, More Flexible, Green Concrete Heat Island Compendium | US EPA Want To Build A Carbon Neutral Skyscraper? Easy: Just Don't Use Cement. Good Luck With That | Digg Materials scientist working to revolutionize concrete and radically reduce CO2 emissions Countering climate change with cool pavements | MIT News Effects of pavement texture and colour on Urban Heat Islands: An experimental study in tropical climate - ScienceDirect