Project SPARK – Materials

Knowledge library

High quality tires reduce fuel consumption and reduce CO2

High-quality tires have lower rolling resistance, which means that the vehicle needs less energy to move on the road. This in turn leads to a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. In addition, such tires are made of better materials, which means they last longer and need to be replaced less often. Fewer waste tires means less waste and less used raw materials needed to produce new tyres.
In addition, according to research by Emissions Analtics, a company that measures fuel consumption and automotive-related air pollution, the pollution produced by tire abrasion while driving is over a thousand times greater than exhaust pipe exhaust.
According to data from 2020, NEE (NEE – non-exhaust emissions, not controlled by any regulations) account for 60 percent. PM 2.5 particles and 73 percent. PM10 particles emitted by transport. PM 2.5 particles are particularly dangerous to health because they are so small that they easily get into the blood. Therefore, particulate matter is emitted (wearing tires) not only by internal combustion engines, but also by electric cars.

https://wgospodarce.pl/informacje/112958-badania-zanieczyszczenia-z-opon-o-wiele-grozniejsze-niz-spaliny

Production of paper from sugar cane

Paper does not have to be made from wood. We can use sugar cane for this, which grows faster and is more resistant to drought. The production of paper from sugarcane emits less CO2 than the production of paper from wood.

https://www.ezeep.com/sustainable-paper-alternatives

Production of materials from organic waste
Materials such as bioplastic can be made from organic waste such as egg shells, coffee grounds and spoiled food. Thanks to this method of production, the materials biodegrade naturally and do not emit CO2 during decomposition.
Concrete production without CO2 emissions
Currently, more than 4 billion tons of cement, which is one of the main components of concrete, are produced every year in the world. The production of one ton of cement, depending on the technology, emits from 0.5 to 1 ton of CO2. This means that cement production is responsible for 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
To reduce CO2 emissions, laboratories have developed concrete that uses alternative sources of calcium, such as shells or eggs. Thanks to this, they reduce CO2 emissions by 25%.

https://bellaplast.com.pl/produkcja-cementu-a-srodowisko/

From 1 ton of coal, 2-2.5 tons of CO2 are produced as a result of combustion

According to the Think tank Ember report, in 2021, the Polish lignite-fired power plant in Bełchatów, with the production result of 33.2 Mt CO2 per month, ranks first among the most air-polluting power plants in the European Union.

https://ember-climate.org/insights/research/top-10-emitters-in-the-eu-ets-2021/

Impact of social media on the environment

According to the Browser Compare the Market calculator, thanks to which social media users can check the environmental impact of using individual platforms, TikTok is the most harmful to the climate.
This platform emits 2.63 grams of CO2 equivalent per minute for each active user. This means that one person using this app for five minutes a day will produce 4,800 grams of CO2 per year. With over a billion registered accounts…
The next places are:
• Reddit (2.48 grams of CO2 per minute)
• Pinterest (1.30 grams of CO2 per minute)
• Instagram (1.05 grams of CO2 per minute)
• Snapchat (0.87 grams of CO2 per minute)
• Facebook (0.79 grams of CO2 per minute)
• LinkedIn (0.71 grams of CO2 per minute)

https://klimat.rp.pl/emisje/art35726851-aplikacja-emitujaca-najwiecej-co2-facebook-youtube-tiktok-instagram-twitter