How We Could Make Carbon-Negative Concrete
Provided by: TED|Published on: June 1, 2022
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering
Authors: Tom Schuler
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this TED talk, Tom Schuler describes how an innovative technique for making concrete can dramatically reduce cement's carbon footprint and save an enormous amount of water.
- This new type of concrete could not only reduce the carbon footprint of cement manufacturing, but it could potentially transform it into a carbon sink, making the concrete carbon negative.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The cement industry is responsible for an enormous amount of carbon emissions. This video provides a brief overview of a solution to an often overlooked problem.
- The video provides a transcript and subtitles in many languages.
Additional Prerequisites
- Although it is mentioned in the Ted Talk, students may benefit from a brief overview of the difference between cement and concrete and how they are made before watching the video.
- Before watching the video, consider having students highlight words they do not know or understand on a copy of the transcript and go over any new vocabulary.
Differentiation
- Consider printing out copies of the transcript for students to reference while watching the clip.
- Students in chemistry classes could watch this video and then learn about the chemical reactions that take place when low-carbon, zero-carbon, or carbon-negative cement and concrete are made.
- Engineering classes could analyze the criteria and constraints of this new solution for the concrete industry.
- Similar resources include this animated video on concrete production and this video about making concrete production more sustainable.
This TED talk presents a quick overview of concrete manufacturing and how carbon-negative concrete production might help us address the climate crisis. The particular method discussed uses a new method of manufacturing concrete that cures using carbon dioxide rather than water, thereby sequestering carbon dioxide. The concepts in this resource are clear and well presented. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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