Reducing the environmental impact of driving has moved into the mainstream, but far less attention has been given to making roads more green, according to the Environment News Service.

The Recycled Materials Resource Management Center, RRMC, a joint project between the University of New Hampshire and the University Wisconsin-Madison is studying how to use more recycled materials in the building and maintaining roadways.

While most of the asphalt used each year is recycled, road building still requires millions of tons in newly mined materials.

(Photo from the City of Columbus, Ohio)