题型:阅读理解 题类: 难易度:普通
Concrete has served as the foundation stone of the construction industry for hundreds of years. However, the process of producing concrete is one of the most environmentally unfriendly processes in the world. In the process, not only is carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)released into the air by the energy used to heat the limestone, but the limestone itself also gives out a huge amount of the element.
Luckily, a number of start-ups throughout the world are using creative thinking to make the construction industry a whole lot more friendly for the planet.
A Canadian company called CarbonCure, has found a way to inject(注入)concrete with carbon dioxide itself. Not only does this trap the carbon dioxide into the concrete, keeping it from running away into the atmosphere, but it also creates a super strong material called calcium carbonate, which reduces the total amount of concrete that needs to be used.
California-based Brimstone, is creating carbon-negative concrete by doing away with limestone entirely and instead using silicate rock, a material that does not release carbon dioxide when heated. Instead, the process produces magnesium(镁), which absorbs carbon dioxide, as the basis for their concrete.
Additionally, researchers at Australia's RMIT University have recently released a study showing that adding coffee grounds instead of sand to concrete could make it much stronger, reducing both the amount of sand used, as well as the amount of concrete that would need to be used in the final product.
The biggest barrier at this point is convincing members of the industry that the new types of concrete are safe to be used, according to Stacy Smedley, director at a nonprofit focused on decarbonizing construction.
Hopefully these new solutions to the environmental problems of concrete will soon be widely adopted. Given the significant part the construction industry has in releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, great improvements can be made when more environmentally-friendly materials are used.
There are some strange driving laws in different countries.
Countries | Laws |
Vietnam | If you're in Vietnam without a Vietnamese driver's license, you risk a prison sentence of up to three years. |
Russia | In Moscow, if your car is dirty enough to draw dust art, you will be fined about 2,000 rubles (about US 55 dollars). Worse yet, it's illegal to wash your car by hand in public places – forcing you to take it to one of the few car wash facilities. |
Thailand | Drivers – male or female – can't drive shirtless whether it's a car, bus, or a tuk-tuk cab. |
France | France requires its drivers to carry a portable breathalyzer(便携式酒精测量仪) at all times when driving a car. The one-time breathalyzer cost around US 5 dollars, and if you don't have one, you will be fined US 15 dollars. |
Cyprus | Raising your hands in the car can get you fined of US 35 dollars. The law states a driver can be fined if the person “is in an irregular position inside the car or raises his hand from the steering wheel unnecessarily.” |
Japan | Politeness isn't just the culture in Japan; it is part of driving laws. Splashing(飞溅) a person by driving through a puddle(水坑) with your car will cost you over US 60 dollars. The country is also strict with its DUI (酒驾) laws – riding with or lending your car to a driver who gets caught drinking and driving can lead to a fine costing thousands of dollars. |
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