Global Sand Scarcity

Sand is not just a useless material that makes up tourist beach areas. Despite its plain looks, sand is actually the second most used natural resource on Earth after water. Sand acts as a crucial, foundational ingredient for modern civilization. The roads and bridges we see every day consist of sand — these rock particles produce asphalt, glass, concrete, etc. Despite these benefits, the world is running out of sand. Natural disasters make sand harvesting far more difficult, and our government's response to these disasters consumes even more sand.  

Climate change brings extreme heat to Earth's atmosphere, and glaciers are instantly impacted by the hot temperature. As the ice melts, ocean volume increases rapidly. As a result, sea levels rise, and the intensity of natural disasters surges. Disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and cyclones will be the major cause of beach erosion. Coastal erosion removes sand from the shore and transports it to deeper areas of the ocean. Hence, the amount of sand humans can consume plummets significantly.

 Erosions pose huge risks to human safety and infrastructure, as dangerous cliffs and drop-offs are created. To combat this problem, several maritime countries set up seawalls and artificial beaches. Although the problem may seem fully fixed, a major flaw remains: building these walls and beaches utilizes even more sand. The world is concerned with sand shortage, yet governments waste more sand to prevent the consequences of climate change. If this cycle repeats, there will be no gain, but rather a gradual loss or resource and effort.