Concrete

Imagine what the world would be like without concrete: there'd be no high-rises, no grand irrigation projects, no lettuce from southern climes in the winter, no multi-lane highways crisscrossing continents, a shortage of electricity, more mud in some places, more solitude in others. But because of the fossil fuels and other resources required to make concrete, there also would be less CO2 in the atmosphere and less dramatic climate change. In Concrete: From Ancient Origins to a Problematic Future, Soderstrom tells the story of concrete's glorious past, extravagant present, and uncertain future with careful research, lively anecdotes, and thoughtful reflection. The framework for this exploration is one the Romans--famous for concrete structures that are still strong--would understand: the four elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.



"[For] those of us who are thinking about, and educating for, deep cultural change, . . . for those of us that care about what it means to be good, in the deepest sense; to participants in an earth-system that is failing at human hands, in the context of recognizing the repercussions of the Anthropocene." --Laura Sewall, author of Sight and Sensibility: The Ecopsychology of Perception

Imaginati-va cum ar fi lumea fara beton: nu ar exista inaltimi ridicate, nu vor exista proiecte de irigatii marete, nici salata din climele sudice in timpul iernii, nici autostrazi cu mai multe benzi care traverseaza continentele, o lipsa de electricitate, mai mult noroi in unele locuri, mai multa singuratate in ceilalti. Dar, din cauza combustibililor fosili si a altor resurse necesare pentru a face beton, ar exista, de asemenea, mai putin CO2 in atmosfera si schimbari climatice mai putin dramatice.