Our Sandcastle Cities

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Global Change, Climate Change, Sustainability

Ed Hessler

In this 11 m 23 s video from the journal Nature is explored the concept known as the "sandcastle economy."

I think most readers know that we are running out of river and beach sand, tending to forget that "sand is everywhere in cities: it's in the pillars of skyscrapers, the surfaces of roads and the walls of our homes."

The video explores "a fresh framework for thinking about construction and the economy could help to combat the sand crisis and preserve the vale of materials for decades to come." Some benefits from a circular sand economy include "less sand  in landfills, less energy wasted during construction and a more sustainable industry that benefits businesses and the planet."

It has an important and difficult ingredient: "collaboration between industry, governments and academia."