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A Green Pervious Pathway That Lets the Rain Percolate Through

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Here’s a natural-looking porous concrete for pathways. GraniteCrete is designed to retain water underneath the ground. Unlike most concrete that just keeps water on the surface, wasting it in runoff down city drains back to the ocean, this collects rainwater – just like dirt did before we paved it all over, yet, unlike dirt paths, this  never gets muddy.

In climates where you really want to use that water before it goes to the ocean, for example in a rainwater garden, this 3″ thick layer of porous concrete is the eco solution.  It costs about 20% more than asphalt but is more long-lasting.

But it is more than just seriously green concrete. It actually comes in six gorgeous colors that go with the desert landscaping of the arid West.

The gorgeous colors are not just for looks. Because they are light shades, they help prevent the heat island effect. Asphalt can get up to 40 degrees hotter than the air temperature, and of course that emits warmth.

Municipalities are considering it for places where Asphalt might have been used at one time.  It has now been tried and tested for the last five years by the California Department of Parks and Recreation at the high tide line of the Pacific Ocean, to see how it stands up to the hard wear and tear of the ocean. Five years later, it is still looking good. This is one new invention that could be here to stay.