What Is Sand Depletion And Why Is It A Bad Thing?
When thinking about the environmental impact humans have had on the planet, there are many avenues to consider. The major factors that jump into our consciousness are climate change, pollution, and rising sea levels, among much more.
It can feel overwhelming to consider how we can possibly help the planet with so much acting against us, but as a company that is committed to sustainability, we believe the answer is to start small and dream big.
The construction industry has a huge impact on the wellbeing of the planet, from transport to gathering raw materials. A silent crisis is on the way to the construction industry already - but we're determined to stop it in its tracks.
What Is Sand Depletion?
Due to the monumental demand for sand from the construction industry, the globe is inching towards a crisis of sand depletion. Highly desirable sand from rivers and lakes is not an endless resource and already the construction industry suffers from a lack of sand.
Did you know that Qatar alone imports over $6 billion of sand annually? When we consider the impact this huge scale of sand gathering must have on the globe cumulatively, it's no surprise that sand depletion can cause huge problems.
Is Sand Really A Depleted Resource?
While it might sound like the least of our worries, sand really is a depleted resource and with that comes big problems. As human infrastructure continues to grow so does our appetite for construction materials, particularly sand.
Annually across the globe, billions of tonnes of sand are used in construction projects.
Why Is Sand Depletion A Bad Thing?
Sand scarcity is "an emerging issue … with major sociopolitical, economic, and environmental implications", according to Aurora Torres, Jodi Brandt, Kristen Lear, and Jianguo Liu who published a research article in Science magazine.
Second in weight only to water in terms of most-used resources on Earth, sand resource depletion is expected to reach 20 billion tonnes annually by 2030.
How Can I Help Fight Sand Depletion?
Through using Atlantic Pumps, you can recover sand by washing the aggregate. Our pumps recycle dirty water and slurry to help battle sand depletion as well as saving you money on the resources you pay for.
Not only can you feel good about stopping the serious issue of sand depletion, but you save money on your investments too.
Image source: Unsplash
