Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
New Ecosystems, Carbon-Negative Building Materials, Planting Trees, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! In the last few days of March, this week reveals some cool discoveries and lots of positive news! I hope you get outside to enjoy the warm Spring weather this weekend! It has been refreshing seeing the first signs of flowers popping up around the city, and new buds on the trees.
P.S.- Don’t forget to sign up for the CTA Spring 2024 Bike Challenge, starting this Tuesday, April 1st! Remember, CTA reimburses you for an annual Citibike membership.
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN ECOSYSTEM HAS BEEN DISCOVERED UNDER AN ICE SHELF IN ANTARCTICA
Scientists exploring Antarctica got an unexpected surprise when a giant iceberg the size of Chicago broke off from the George VI Ice Shelf in January. Taking advantage of the rare opportunity, an international research team aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too) research vessel rushed to the newly exposed seafloor, an area no human had ever seen before.They spent eight days exploring the depths using an underwater robot, reaching as far down as 1,300 meters, and found an unprecedented thriving underwater world. They saw giant sea spiders, ice fish, octopuses, corals, massive sponges, and brand-new species never discovered before. They found signs showing the ecosystem had likely been around for decades, if not centuries, despite being trapped under thick ice.
Normally, deep-sea ecosystems rely on nutrients from above, but this area had been completely covered by ice for hundreds of years, raising big questions about how these creatures survived. Scientists think deep ocean currents may be bringing in nutrients, but they’re still figuring out exactly how. At the same time that this discovery is exciting, it also highlights a concerning reality about climate change; how it’s speeding up iceberg calving and melting, leading to rising sea levels. This comes at a time when, according to NASA (see cool graphics here), sea ice in the Arctic is at its lowest winter level ever recorded. March is usually when the ice is at its peak, but this year’s ice cover of 5.53 million square miles is about 30,000 square miles smaller than the previous lowest March peak recorded in 2017.
The team also gathered data on how melting glaciers are affecting the surrounding ocean, finding strong meltwater flow and signs of high biological activity. This discovery shows how important research is to help improve climate predictions and guide future policies (and how cutting funding for research will have negative impacts).
NEW CARBON-NEGATIVE MATERIAL IS DEVELOPED USING ELECTRIFIED SEAWATER
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a carbon-negative building material using seawater, electricity, and carbon dioxide (CO2), offering a new way to store carbon while creating valuable construction materials used in concrete, cement, plaster, and paint. An added bonus is this process also produces hydrogen gas, a clean fuel with various uses. The method grows sand-like materials in seawater rather than mining it from the Earth. By applying a low electrical current to seawater, they split water molecules, releasing hydroxide ions that react with dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water. This reaction forms solid minerals like calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide, both of which help trap CO2 from the atmosphere. This results in a versatile material that can be adjusted in texture and density, depending on how it's produced. It can replace sand or gravel in concrete without compromising strength, capable of storing over half its weight in CO2, making it a sustainable alternative.
If scaled up, it could be a game-changer for reducing emissions in construction. Traditional carbon storage methods don’t always maximize the potential of captured CO2, but this process permanently locks it away. Scientists also envision a circular system, where CO2 emissions from cement plants located near coastlines could be directly captured and transformed into these materials using seawater and clean electricity. This breakthrough is not only a way to store carbon long-term but also helps reduce reliance on traditional sand mining, making it a win for both the environment and the construction industry.
THE UK IS PLANTING 20 MILLION TREES AS PART OF THE FIRST OF THREE NEW NATIONAL FORESTS
The UK announced the creation of the Western Forest, a massive reforestation effort that will see 20 million trees planted across 6,178 acres of both new and existing woodland in the west of England. It will be the first of three new national forests promised by the government to help meet a legally-binding target of achieving 16.5% woodland cover in England by 2050. Currently England lags behind with just 10% tree cover. Environmental experts have praised the progress but warn that more action and long-term funding are needed to meet national targets, which have a goal of 30,000 hectares of new woodland annually.
The Western Forest project will be particularly focused on urban areas, where tree coverage is lower, and will provide multiple benefits, including improving water quality, enhancing flood resilience, supporting wildlife, and making green spaces more accessible. The government has committed £7.5 million over the next five years to support the project, acknowledging its role in combating climate change, promoting economic growth, and creating jobs. The Western Forest is the first national forest designated in England in 30 years, following the success of the National Forest in the Midlands, where nearly 10 million trees have been planted. Despite financial constraints, the government has pledged to establish two more national forests by the end of this parliamentary term, and are currently exploring funding sources for this.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
How to decarbonize every building everywhere — just not all at once. To become climate-friendly, buildings need heat pumps, energy-efficiency measures, cleaner construction, and tech that makes their power use more flexible.
Take a look at this overview of the United States energy profile, where now over half of the states get more of their energy from clean sources than coal.
Climate Change Is the Backdrop to Our Lives, But It’s Missing in Movies.
EPA decimates the over $150 million C-MORE grant program aimed at measuring and reducing construction material emissions to make the U.S. industry cleaner and more competitive.
14 Bizarre Consequences of Climate Change (Because Sometimes, You Just Have to Laugh)
Will Texas become ‘the Epicenter of a National Nuclear Renaissance’?
Further helping the city improve air quality, residents in Paris voted to make 500 more streets car-free.
A church in Dayton, Ohio, turned its vacant land into a huge urban garden, donating 65K pounds of food every year.
Illinois city passes a law to slash emissions from big buildings.
Rivian spins out its micromobility arm into a new company called Also that has raised $105 million in venture capital.
Fired National Park Service Staff Will Be Reinstated, but Long-Term Threats Loom.
Just for fun: A bright orange octopus was spotted riding on top of a shark’s head off New Zealand.