Sustainable solutions to pollution

Professor Joanna Gavins will introduce a recent multidisciplinary research project, ‘Many Happy Returns’, which involves researchers in Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities coming together to tackle the complex problem of plastics pollution. Language lies at the heart of this research and this talk will show how understanding more about how people talk about plastics can help us come up with new and effective ways to encourage reuse and recycling.

The growth in global population and economic development leads to an increase in the need for construction materials. Portland cement based materials are the most widely used due to their efficiency, price and durability. However, production of this material is responsible for 5 to 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. There is an urgent need to find (and use) alternative materials that have similar properties while having lower carbon footprint. One of the most encouraging alternatives is alkali activated materials.

We love trees here in Sheffield – the city has over 4.5 million of them. They don’t just provide shade, shelter, and habitats for wildlife though. Trees are on the front line of the fight against climate change, with the power to make their own weather and even cool the planet! Find out how trees change our atmosphere, and why smart tree planting can help us tackle global warming.