The possibility of there being a shortage of sand seems so unlikely, that it is something that none of us would likely consider this as a possibility. However, this is exactly what is happening , and we are now losing the beaches all over the world because of this. I watched an interesting video that explains how and why this is happening. One of the main things that is used in almost all contstruction projects is cement or concrete, which uses a lot of sand. As we build more and more houses, apartments, businesss complexes, hotels, and roads, we keep depleting the world's supply of sand. Not only for building, but sand is also used to make glass, and many computer chips also require sand. It used to be that there was so much sand that we just took what we needed for building things, and never thought about running out of it. Then, the companies that provide sand had to start dredging it out of the ocean and hauling it in so there would be enough to meet the need. Saudi Arabia has even been building artificial islands with sand that they dredge up from in the ocean. Now, you would think that with a whole huge desert right there , that Dubai builders would have all the sand that they need without getting it out of the ocean. However, apparently, desert sand is smooth and round, and sea sand is rough and jagged, and the desert sand does not hold together in concrete like the sea sand does. China has also been building artificial islands, and Singapore imports most of their sand from the small islands of Indonesia. Another reason we are losing sand is because of building so many dams. Sand originally comes from the high mountains where bits of rock are slowly chipped off and work their way down to the ocean through the mountain streams, then the creeks and rivers until they finally wash out into the ocean. Now, the sand is building up behind dams, so it never makes it to the ocean. This video is a longer documentary; but it is also very interesting and well worth the time it takes to watch it and learn what has happened, and will happen, to the sandy beaches all over the world.
Very interesting @Yvonne Smith I don't think I will have to worry about all the sand or beaches disappearing before I leave this earth for my eternal home though. Also I believe Jesus Christ will be coming back before all the sand and beaches disappear too. After Hurricane Katrina I went to visit one of my sister's in Florida and we went to eat lunch at a restaurant on the beach...only this time there wasn't much beach left to view as Katrina had reclaimed alot of that beach and covered it with the Gulf of Mexico. I also remember reading some true stories about whole Islands disappearing when Hurricanes, etc. just swallowed those Islands into the waters surrounding them. So I believe we will see more sand and beaches disappear in this way during our lifetime. All along our coastlines Hurricanes take back into the oceans etc. much of our sand and beach areas...much to the horror of those who have built their beach homes on the areas that are reclaimed by our oceans, etc. during these storms.
I would be more worried about global warming and the rise of the ocean areas covering up beaches and islands before worrying about a shortage of sand personally. It is already happening in some places. There are entire cultures and island nations that will be under the sea in the next decade or two. I have seen time release photos of areas impacted by rising ocean waters..and it is pretty scary.
If you watch the video, it explains that the reasons that the islands are disappearing IS because of the sand being gone. It is also why the ocean is covering up the beaches, and it has some very good pictures that show exactly how the loss of sand is causing the beaches to disappear, and also the islands to disappear. Since the sand is blown around in hurricanes, as well as the huge wavess washing more of the sand away during the storm, the hurricane would definitely accelerate the processs of what is already happening. The maps in the documentary show the coastlines of many of the world's island countries now, as well as where the coastline used to be before all of the sand erosion took place. We are so used to seeing buildings and new construction that we don't ever stop to think how much of our ocean sand is now being used to build huge structures on the shores and lands around the oceans.
@Ken Anderson "We" is a collective noun; I wish it known I did not vote for him. I still wonder how his campaign collected sufficient funds to buy the office. Frank