Next to water, concrete is the most consumed substance on the planet, with more than 4.4 billion tons produced every year, a number that is expected to grow to 5.5 billion by 2050.
As the world’s most common construction material, it contributes 6% to 11% of ALL global carbon dioxide emissions. Most of those emissions come from the production of its binder, portland cement, which comprises about 10% of the concrete mix by weight, on average.
Change will require governments and industries to work together to incorporate carbon reduction objectives within all their infrastructure projects and programs.
What can you do? Write to your local authority and ask them to commit to using less or greener concrete in their upcoming building projects. Better yet, organize a group in your community to call for action. There is power in numbers.
It’s not too late.