Concrete: From Ancient Origins to a Problematic Future - Hardcover

Soderstrom, Mary

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0889777861 ISBN 13: 9780889777866

Publisher: University of Regina Press, 2020

Synopsis

A fascinating history of the carbon footprint of our concrete world—from ancient Roman architecture to urban cityscapes—and the trouble it spells for sustainability amidst rapid climate change

For readers of The Sixth Extinction and The Uninhabitable Earth, Concrete explores the history of a material that has been central to architecture and design for thousands of years—and what its future looks like in a world experiencing rapid climate change.

Imagine what the world would be like without concrete: there’d be no high-rises, no grand irrigation projects, no lettuce from southern climes in the winter, no multi-lane highways crisscrossing continents, a shortage of electricity, more mud in some places, more solitude in others. But because of the fossil fuels and other resources required to make concrete, there also would be less CO2 in the atmosphere and less dramatic climate change. In Concrete: From Ancient Origins to a Problematic Future, Soderstrom tells the story of concrete’s glorious past, extravagant present, and uncertain future with careful research, lively anecdotes, and thoughtful reflection. The framework for this exploration is one the Romans—famous for concrete structures that are still strong—would understand: the four elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.

About this title

About the Author

Mary Soderstrom lives in Montreal and is the author of sixteen other books of fiction and non-fiction. Her most recent work, River Music, was published in 2015.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Regina Press
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0889777861
• ISBN 13: 9780889777866
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272