In 2021, cement production accounted for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. Let’s talk about what we could do to fix that. Some of that 8% figure is unavoidable due to the energy needed for production, but some of the carbon emissions come from the concrete itself and some gases are given off as it hardens and cures. However, there’s another ingredient we could add that might cut that percentage way down: baking soda. It turns out that adding a little sodium bicarbonate causes a lot of the CO2 that usually gets emitted as gas to mineralize and stay solid instead of escaping into the atmosphere. One study found that adding a little baking soda mixer can cut the emissions of concrete by up to 15%, without compromising structural integrity. Who knew?