On your wish list you have Concrete ! Are you serious, are you aware of the enviromental impact of concrete. There are many alternative building materiels far better suited to a project like this

Cement is one of the most environmentally hazardous materials in the world, adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than the entire weight of the global airline industry. According to the Sustainable Development Commission, 4% of Co2 is caused by aviation. Depending on how conservatively you do the sums, cement-based building materials, including concrete and asphalt, account for between 5% and 10% of all carbon dioxide emissions

I have been following the development of something called C-Fix, sometimes referred to as carbon concrete, a "thermoplastic" heavy-duty binder developed by Shell and the University of Delft and already in use on the two busiest roads in the Netherlands. It is suitable, for replacing 90% of concrete and asphalt applications. But it is the environmental benefits that excites me. Three-and-a-half tons of carbon dioxide is saved by using a ton of carbon concrete rather than regular concrete

This seemingly gravity-defying equation stems from the fact that the environmental benefits of C-Fix are twofold. To produce a road, or a sea defence, and not use cement as a binding agent obviously stops that cement being produced, which stops the carbon from the cement production entering the atmosphere. The other benefit comes from making a practical use of what would otherwise be waste.

It works like this. When crude oil is "cracked" into its components, the top of the refinement process produces petrol, followed by diesel, light fuel oil and then heavy fuel oil. At the bottom of the barrel lies a "fraction" of blackened waste material. It is hard and sticky and of scant economic worth. The standard way of dealing with this low-grade oil is to mix it with light fuel oil to make more heavy fuel oil, It gets burnt off and doesn't have to be treated as a waste. But that burning causes further CO2 emissions that cause global warming.


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not use concrete at this site.

Alan's a bit worried that Daddy picture's about him!

To daddies everywhere - go and do something to make sure it isn't, eh?

Keep up the good work, Prospect Bodgers!

ACDC I/we know that cement production is a very filthy business but the fact is a well built concrete lockon takes the earth destroyers a very long time to break someone out of. You're way ahead of the mark promoting carbon concrete at this moment in time. I can guarantee one wouldn't be able to buy this stuff at any local builders merchant and I notice you haven't so much as posted a single link to where it can be obtained. You also don't describe whether this stuff can be simply mixed on site for I can find no details at all of how this is done and so have to assume that it has to be pre-ordered in huge quantities from a factory. I think you're being completely and unrealistically purist here. This coal mine if dug will result in MILLIONS of tons of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere from the burning coal and you're quibbling about 100 or 200 kg CO2 from 1 or 2 25kg bags of cement that could produce several lockons? A tiny drop in the ocean. Lighten up.