It’s just so BRUTAL. What more to saaay

Shah also said that “cement carbonation requires very specific conditions” including humidity of between 40 and 80 per cent and open-air conditions.

“Submerged or buried concrete or concrete will not undergo carbonation,” he said, adding that “concrete carbonation happens at an extremely slow rate: an average of one to two millimetres per year.”

Shah added that he was “a bit frustrated with the IPCC using the word ‘sink’ because that gives the impression that it is beneficial.”

“Cement and concrete are not carbon sinks,” Shah said. “They are net sources [of CO2].”

Article: Cement and Concrete “are not carbon sinks” says Cambridge material scientist

Also: “Carbonation in concrete refers to the chemical reaction between carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and calcium hydroxide in the concrete. This reaction forms calcium carbonate and gradually reduces the pH of the concrete, which can lead to the corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement.”

So, not exactly a process you want to occur in your buildings or bridges. So if you’re hoping waiting around until it turns into limestone (if it’s not buried, submerged or sealed) it will probably mostly be demolished and long buried in a landfill somewhere potentially leaking toxins where it will never undergo the natural processes to absorb carbon anyway.

Beautiful in theory but impractical in mass scale execution. But certainly a good way to justify the continuation of a multibillion dollar industry. (This is not to say that there aren’t serious material scientists working on this problem, but a lot of it unfortunately is straight up greenwashing rather than advocating for reduction in initial footprint and investment in long-term sustainable alternatives.)

It is indeed paved over. I'm sure there are reasons, but probably not good ones given potholes like this. Aside from initial cost, for large vehicles+higher speeds. IMO seems a bit like gluing carpet over wooden floorboards (which is another anger-inducing thing, especially if you've lived in a house with a carpeted bathroom).

Not Just Bikes has a video on brick roads in the Netherlands (the bricks being called Klinkers, video called Natural Handcrafted Artisanal ... Streets?!), how they allow easier maintenance/re-use, brick designs instead of painting the surface after, worn klinkers used in historic areas etc.

I’m sorry, is this asphalt over baked paving stones? And if so, why?

This is what happened in a lot of European cities, they just paved over the cobblestone. I've seen something similar in a especially deep pothole in my neighborhood. Felt like a glimpse into the past.

That's literally how many German private houses are built: Autoclaved aerated concrete with a brick cladding. Looks nice and provides a lot of thermal insulation.

Oh no, far more visceral. Nothing about the aesthetics.

The brick pictured makes my hands feel dry and papery. That's from when I was a kid, so I know what that's about. Buuuut....

There was a period where cement was used on wire frames to do sculpture - makes me want to gag. Fully repulsive to me. A tree made from cement angers me. It's all trash to me, zero redeeming elements.

A large cement column in a building under construction? I intentionally avoid it so as not to touch it. They smell bad, too. Once painted, I'm totally fine with them.

Dry cement powder? I would rather touch fire.

It's a sensory processing thing. Can't explain it more than that I guess.

Except it isn't just about the energy intensity, but specifically the CO2 emission from the concrete process itself.

From the link's sources:

https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/2018-06-13-making-concrete-change-cement-lehne-preston-final.pdf