The 335 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions produced from the average CalTrans road construction project that requires delivering construction materials 50 miles is equivalent to driving a Hummer H-1 more than nine times around the equator.

In 2005, California imported enough cement, mostly from Asia, to produce enough concrete to construct five Hoover Dams.

Cement imported to California from Asia—which accounts for 40 percent of the total cement used in this state—creates an estimated 25 percent more CO2 emissions, or greenhouse gases, than cement produced in California.

The 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 from importing foreign cement accounts for about 10 percent of greenhouse emissions from all the international commercial jet travel in and out of California based on 2004 reporting, the most recent year for which data is available.

Decreasing the distance aggregate is shipped by an average of 15 miles across the state, saving 44 million gallons of diesel fuel, would also reduce tail pipe emissions by 835.4 tons a year of pollutants regulated by the state Air Resources Board that are linked to incidents of cancer, asthma and other serious health problems.

In 2005, California imported enough cement to make nearly 24 million cubic yards of concrete. That's enough concrete to build a sidewalk four feet wide and three inches deep five times around the earth at the equator.

In 2005, California imported enough cement to build a sidewalk four feet wide and three inches deep halfway to the moon.

In 2005, California imported enough cement to produce concrete that would fill the Louisiana Superdome five times over.