Concrete is inexpensive, readily transportable, and durable but many people don't realise that concrete is the source of around 8% of the world's CO2 emissions. That number is largely due to it's pervasiveness and cement production, which has increased 50 fold since 1950. Combined with the high emissions involved in the production of clinker, the main element of cement, concrete is a literal CO2 powerhouse.The thing is that isn't where it ends. One of concrete's most amazing properties, like plastic, is it's endurance. Once in place, it's around for awhile and a great example is the Pantheon, built by the Romans in 113-125AD. Two thousand years after it was built, the 43m-diameter free-standing concrete dome is not only still standing, it's also still the world's largest.Concrete is used extensively on land and in ports and bridges. In water, its endurance is also its curse, largely because of its life depriving qualities. Scientist and co-founder of ECOncrete®, Dr Shimrit Finkel, discovered the ecological damage being done by concrete ports, breakwaters and piers and determined to do something about it. Finkel told ISRAEL21c: “THESE STRUCTURES DESTROY THE NATURAL HABITATS, REPLACING NATURAL REEFS WITH A DESERT OF CONCRETE. IF ANYTHING GROWS ON IT AT ALL, IT’S AN INVASIVE, HARMFUL SPECIES.”
In 2012 she and co-founder Ido Sella decided to change all that and commenced work on what was to become ECOncrete®, a durable and environmentally sensitive concrete that enhances growth of carbon-absorbing marine life on coastal infrastructure. Fast forward to 2019 and ECOncrete® now offer an incredible array of environmentally beneficial concrete solutions, from building blocks to tide pools, living breakwaters and additives. Their products are in waterfronts across Europe, USA and Asia.
ECOncrete® is a collaborative model, so each time they do a project, the concrete is produced locally and the work is done through a local subsidiary. The core business is just a dozen staff in Tel Aviv and a couple in USA.
Since 2012, the company has won numerous awards including the Global Biomimicry Design Award and the most recently, Shrimit Finkel was recognised by inaugural United Nations WE Empower awards. The awards honour innovative women entrepreneurs who are supporting and achieving the UN SDGs through sustainable business practices and providing inspiration for others to follow suit.
The Biomimicry Global Design Challenge is an annual competition that invites people around the world to address critical sustainability issues using nature as a guide.
Shimrit Finkel was announced as one of the Top 5 women entrepreneurs, representing each of the five U.N. regions, Shimrit and the other four WE Empower awardees were honored at the UN General Assembly in September 2018 hosted by the Council of Women World Leaders and featuring the UN Secretary General, President of the World Bank and High Commissioner for Human Rights. Amanda Ellis, who is senior special adviser for international diplomacy, sustainable development and inclusion at the ASU Wrigley Institute, said:"WE RECEIVED 150 STRONG APPLICATIONS FROM WOMEN LEADERS ACROSS THE GLOBE DOING WONDERFUL WORK TO ADDRESS THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. THE APPLICATIONS WERE TRULY IMPRESSIVE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING THESE WOMEN LEADERS IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY AND ENGAGING THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A POSITIVE MULTIPLIER EFFECT."
The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is a global business competition for women entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Five finalists are selected, one from each UN region. They will receive an all-expenses paid trip to New York during the UN Global Goals week (23-28 September 2019) to participate in a series of tailored trainings and events. This year's round is closed and 2020 will open in April 2020. If you are interested in applying, be aware that it is only open for a month. You will find links to further information and previous winners on the ASU We Empower UN SDG Challenge web pages. Images: ECOncrete® Declaration: ekko.world is a WE Empower partner for Oceania and we support and promote the cause. If you are a female entrepreneur and are interested in applying, contact us or head to WE Empower.