Today we talk a lot about sustainable mobility, but very rarely are they mentioned roads on which human beings should move without impacting (or with little impact) on the planet. We discuss forgiving roads, cycle paths, emobility, greenaway and nature in the city without ever naming the routes along which this new concept of mobility should take place. Yet, upon closer inspection, public roads and eco-sustainability they are two sides of the same coin, as well as two parallel tracks that run towards the same goal: lo sustainable development and carbon neutrality, necessary to combat the ongoing climate crisis.
Public roads and eco-sustainability: two concepts linked to each other
To better understand how public roads and eco-sustainability are linked to each other, it is good to take a step back to understand which, according to the experts, is the best strategy to fight global warming and the crisis that we are all already experiencing. This is hidden in the words “mitigation"and "adaptation“, i.e. the most current answers to take concrete action against climate change.
Mitigation and adaptation are two sides of the same coin, which identify both the actions capable of intervening on the causes of the problem and the solutions capable of mitigating - already today - its negative effects.
What does all this have to do with public roads? Simple: if to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis it is necessary to reduce the quantity of climate-changing gases coming (also) from the transport sector, on the other hand it is necessary to adapt to the effects of climate change already underway by modifying our roads and creating natural roads which, as we will see (in addition to their excellent technical performances), bring with them many benefits from an environmental point of view.
Because natural roads are the future
What is the secret of natural roads and why can they be considered one of the many ways we have to adapt to the changing climate? The reasons are innumerable and closely linked to each other. We list them briefly below.
- Natural roads respect the terrain
Natural and environmentally friendly roads do not distort the topsoil at all, despite being in contact with it and acting as a "cover". Permeable and draining by definition, they allow water to infiltrate into the ground avoiding runoff.
- Natural roads respect the principle of hydraulic invariance
Flooding is now a frequent phenomenon, especially in cities. This also happens because public roads, usually made of asphalt, are waterproof or not very permeable, and do not allow water to naturally infiltrate into the ground. Natural, permeable and draining roads respect the principle ofhydraulic invariance and for this reason they favor the dispersion of excess water bodies
- Natural roads combat heat islands
In summer, in the city, we witness the phenomenon of heat islands, a particular atmospheric situation which gives rise to much higher temperatures in urban areas compared to rural areas and the suburbs. The fault lies mainly in the absence of vegetation, but also in the massive presence of dark asphalted roads, which absorb heat and then release it into the environment after sunset. Natural roads, on the contrary, are generally clearer and can be considered to all intents and purposes a cool pavement. They reflect light without absorbing it and, for this reason, contribute to making our cities cooler.
- Natural roads are recyclable
Nothing is thrown away and nothing is considered waste or, worse, special waste. The natural roads fall fully within the concept ofThe circular economy, according to which even waste can be given a new life, becoming, when disposed of, raw material destined for other uses again. The pavement of a natural road is completely recyclable and, once decommissioned, it can return to the production cycle as stabilized recycled.
Public roads and eco-sustainability meet in natural roads
This concise explanation is congenial to understanding why the natural roads, environmentally friendly and recyclable, they represent, to date, lthe link between public roads and eco-sustainability. Technological innovation has in fact allowed very long steps forward in terms of infrastructure, and material technology has done the rest: today it is possible to create high-performance and natural roads that respect the environment and, at the same time, manage to satisfy the needs of man in terms of travel and mobility.
