Humans use around 90 billion metric tons of materials every year, creating about ⅓ of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Which materials produce the most emissions? You might be surprised.

In this episode of TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate), MIT professor Elsa Olivetti joins host Laur Hesse Fisher to talk about materials, or as Prof. Olivetti calls it, “the study of stuff”. Prof. Olivetti explains where these emissions come from and how to reduce emissions and waste in our manufacturing.

Prof. Olivetti is the Atlantic Richfield Associate Professor of Energy Studies in the Material Science and Engineering Department at MIT. Prof. Olivetti focuses her research on developing strategies to make materials and manufacturing more efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally-friendly.

For other climate explanations, check out: www.tilclimate.mit.edu.

Read more about:

Prof. Olivetti’s projects:

• Brick made out of industrial waste
• Faculty Highlight: Elsa Olivetti (MIT News)

Solutions developed at MIT & beyond:

• A company founded by MIT alumni recently developed a new way to process steel, that could cut 5% of CO2 emissions
• MIT students found that plastic from disposable water bottles can be used to make concrete that is up to 15% stronger (MIT News)
• An MIT Climate CoLab winner designed concrete made from hemp
• An MIT research group focused on sustainable concrete

Credits

Laur Hesse Fisher, Host and Producer

David Lishansky, Editor and Producer

Ruby Wincele, Student Researcher

Cecelia Bolon, Student Coordinator

Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Artwork by Aaron Krol

Special thanks to Tom Kiley and Laura Howells.

Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.