Sand is everywhere in cities: it’s in the pillars of skyscrapers, the surfaces of roads and the walls of our homes. But sand—specifically river and beach sand needed for building—is running out, and without it the construction industry faces a crisis.
In this video we explore how a fresh framework for thinking about construction and the economy could help to combat the sand crisis and preserve the value of materials for decades to come. A circular model would mean less sand ending up in landfill, less energy wasted during construction and a more sustainable industry that benefits businesses and the planet.
This economic transformation will require collaboration between industry, government and academia—if we are to sustain our sandcastle cities into the future.
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This article is part of Nature Outlook: Circular Economy, an editorially independent supplement produced with financial support from Google. About this content.
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