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The material that could change the world... for a third time

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Plan for Zero

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Today roads, sidewalks, bridges, and skyscrapers are made of a material called concrete (aka cement). There’s three tons of it for every person on Earth. It’s also played a surprisingly large role in rising global temperatures over the last century. What exactly makes concrete problematic, and what can we do to fix it? Explore how scientists are working to create a more sustainable concrete.

Watch the video and finish the Think section to complete the lesson.

About Plan for Zero

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and the stakes could not be higher. To avoid the worst effects of a warming world - which will be catastrophic - humans need to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. TED-Ed created a video series which provides a plan to meet those goals, based on an urgent, authoritative book by Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. Avoiding a climate disaster won’t be easy, but it’s possible. Learn more »

Meet The Creators

  • Video created by TED-Ed
  • Lesson Plan created by TED Ed

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