The urban jungle just got a bit greener and with nary the presence of a tree, thanks to UK-based start-up Novacem. The company has developed a “carbon-negative” cement that absorbs more greenhouse gases over its life cycle than it emits. If adopted on a wide scale, this innovation could  have a huge impact on the overall health of the environment, given that the annual production of conventional Portland cement is responsible for an estimated five percent of global CO2 emissions, more than the airline industry.
While we appreciate the potential dividends offered by this alternative building material, initial estimates don’t place [...]

Though the ‘Synthetic Tree’ may hardly resemble its natural brethren, developers hope it will capture more than a thousand times as much carbon dioxide as the real thing. The working prototype traps carbon in a compression chamber where it is converted into liquid carbon dioxide, a byproduct that is easier to store and manage. It’s similar in design to the carbon sponges used in coal power plants, but is intended to work anywhere.  
The lead developer and Columbia University scientist, Professor Klaus Lackner notes in a CNN interview,
“Half of your emissions come from small, distributed sources where collection at the [...]

According to Autoblog, the state of California is proposing legislation to reduce carbon emissions by banning black cars. The California Air Resources Board’s rational is that dark colored cars absorb more light, which results in the owner using their climate control systems more. This theory sounds far-fetched, but existing building legislation with a similar ban has proven successful at reducing energy consumption in skyscrapers. Under the proposition for cars, windshields, backlights and sunroofs will be required to receive new reflective coatings by 2012. Companies that make auto paint are currently attempting to create a paint that conforms to the proposed [...]