carbon offsetting for concrete

[DartmoorEwe]

One reason why the yard has never been concreted is because of the "environmental disaster" associated with CO2 and concrete. I can't help it that the previous generation were hippies and they're still here so I must answer their concerns even if I go ahead with the concrete anyway.

I must be able to offset by planting trees or something. Any thoughts?

 

[Sharpy]

You will use a lot less fuel working on concrete, never mind the carbon cost of a new hi spec forklift, not to mention the ongoing repairs to the yard?

 

[DartmoorEwe]

I had not thought of any of that, thanks - I've found this on wiki about rolling resistance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance , which I'm guessing is the main reason a hard and fair surface is better than a rough and muddy one.

 

[Sharpy]

I had not thought of any of that, thanks - I've found this on wiki about rolling resistance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance , which I'm guessing is the main reason a hard and fair surface is better than a rough and muddy one.

 

[TripleSix]

You've also the benefit of reduced contaminated runoff with a concrete yard.

But yes, producing concrete is the worst then for the environment you can imagine!

 

[franklin]

I had not thought of any of that, thanks - I've found this on wiki about rolling resistance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_resistance , which I'm guessing is the main reason a hard and fair surface is better than a rough and muddy one.

The high initial carbon cost of the concrete will be reduced by making it last a longer time - hence I think there were comments in the other thread about making it 6" deep rather than 5" deep etc. The CO2 from concrete is big in the short-term.....small in the long-term. Hence do it right and do it once. Quite likely it will be in decent order for your grandchildren etc.

 

[DartmoorEwe]

I found this on wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_concrete . I think it says that structural concrete production makes 410kg of CO2 per m3 of concrete. I want to cover 500m2 of yard at 6" (15cm) 500x0.15 = 75 cubic meters of concrete (OMG thats a lot of lorry loads). 75x410=30,750kg or just over 30 tonnes of CO2!

Is that right?

 

[franklin]

But CO2 offset is about a fiver per ton of CO2. Find a website, make a donation. Fell happy.

Or consider that one mature tree in its lifetime will sequester about a ton of CO2. If you reckon your concrete will last 50 years, just go and buy 60 young trees and plant them o your land somewhere.

 

[DartmoorEwe]

I've been researching. I can't believe how easy and relatively inexpensive it is to offset. I would post a link but there's loads.