Could countries use concrete to reduce carbon emmisions?

Question

I don't know if this is true or not. I heard that concrete absorbs carbon in the air. If this is true making large concrete areas in major cities could help with carbon reduction. Maybe building Large concrete parking lots around energy plants and building strips of concrete on adjacent sides of the highways could reduce carbon emmisions by vehicles? If this is a stupid suggestion please let me know anyway. I am curious :)

Answer 1

Quick Delete this Question. lets see highways, airports,walmarts, malls all lead to more auto traffic not to mention that concrete does not reduce carbon emissions. plant more trees where concrete is would be a better way to help. you could just give me best answer and close it out lol.

Answer 2

Well, the article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel seems to agree with you.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=547381

I hadn't heard of any of this before. Apparently you can use crushed concrete to absorb the carbon dioxide from smokestack emissions, which is interesting. It gives you back limestone.

The problem is that plain old pavement isn't going to have enough surface area to absorb much CO2, but it's possible that we might be able to use concrete in other forms for the job.

Thanks for an interesting question.

Answer 3

The production of cement, the primary component of concrete, accounts for 5 to 10 percent of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions; the process is an important contributor to global warming.
Cement is manufactured at the rate of 2.35 billion tons per year, enough to produce 1 cubic meter of concrete for every person in the world. About 5 billion cubic yards of concrete are used each year; annual production is about two tons per person on the planet. If engineers can reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the world's cement manufacturing by even 10 percent, that would accomplish one-fifth of the Kyoto Protocol goal of a 5.2 percent reduction in total carbon dioxide emissions. Some of the carbon is reabsorbed in the manufacturing process, but not much. there is a type of cement that uses magnesium silicate instead of calcium silicate, and absorbs more carbon in its manufacture, but it is quite weak and expensive to make, not only because it is not a widely spread technology, but because raw magnesium is dangerous and difficult to mine. Calcium comes readily from limestone, which is so plentiful it's hard not to stumble over chunks of it anywhere you go.

Answer 4

The manufacture of concrete and lime mortars releases the CO2 that is later absorbed in the setting.
When you figure in the energy consumed, there is a net increase in the CO2 burden.

Answer 5

not a stupid suggestion, just that, an idea, neither brilliant nor worthless. but it's a good ice breaker.
just as charcoal is said to absorb fumes, it won't do much good if it's just placed at a place. It should be strategically placed where there is current or draft as in a wind absorbing or extracting blower and other similar..

Answer 6

Yes, it's stupid. A lot of buildings is made by concrete nowadays and the ozone layer is thinning every minute.

Answer 7

proscribing the controversy time each senator and congressman could have has had an substantial impression on the worldwide warming gases emitted from the Capitol. in addition to, a learn is underway to create a extensive pipe to hoover all of it up into Canada.