This article from Stanford Social Innovation Review explains why cutting embodied carbon in concrete, steel, and asphalt requires more than new materials. It argues that procurement rules, engineering standards, and community partnerships must change together. The piece profiles 'Buy Clean' policies in California and other states as a key lever for reducing emissions from public works. The author, a structural engineer, shows how state agencies, labor unions, and industry groups formed coalitions to push for lower-carbon materials. These efforts shift supply chains and create demand for cleaner production. For anyone tracking industrial decarbonization or public procurement reform, this is a practical look at how policy and engineering intersect to reduce fixed emissions from infrastructure.
