With all the havoc carbon can wreak on our environment, have we ever considered just sort of hiding it away from the atmosphere? If that sounds impossible, well, it actually might not be. At least not according to a new study published in the Science journal.
Researchers have found that storing carbon in building materials may provide some answers in our search to protect the environment. Over 30 billion tons of materials like asphalt, concrete, brick, plastics, and wood are created every year. If we can use them to store carbon, we may be able to keep that carbon out of the atmosphere.
"The potential is pretty large," UC Davis grad student and lead researcher Elisabeth Van Roijen says.
This concept is called "carbon sequestration," and it's not a new one. In fact, it's been around for decades, albeit in different forms from the one suggested in this study. But, how exactly does it work?
To store carbon in building materials, it would require the use of biochar. Biochar is a carbon-rich material made from biomass or organic waste that can be used in the production of concrete, asphalt, plastics, and brick.
According to researcher Sabbie Miller, "If 10% of the world's concrete aggregate production were carbonatable, it could absorb a gigaton of carbon dioxide."
On top of the carbon storage these new building materials could provide, they also have the potential to promote and boost a circular economy. That could be a game-changer for humanity and the planet at large.
Some of these materials are already available, while others are still works in progress. They're not the only environmentally friendly building materials out there, either.
Canadian company Light House recently started a Construction Plastics Initiative seeking to recycle plastic waste used in construction into new building materials. Scientists have also recently developed a new technology that can help keep buildings cool without upping their energy consumption.
While it's easy to get hung up on bad news about the environment, stories like these — and brilliant people who make them possible — offer plenty of hope.
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