It's a small world after all, say scientists warning of sand scarcity

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | September 14, 2017 | Eoin O'Carroll

[MGunny]

I give up!!!!!!!

[MarMema]

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, so high they keep EMS easily on hand because people can't get back up them.

[Jagermonster]

There's even sand mafias!

But seriously folks - I'm not so concerned about a shortage of sand. What does concern me is that there are a-holes who illegally run off with public property, to the detriment of others. See the Tragedy of the Commons for additional information.

I never thought I'd have to think about the ethics of sand, but per the article, "The profits of this easy-to-get, hard-to-regulate material . . . have lured organized crime. In India and Bangladesh, 'sand mafias' have been implicated in the murder of hundreds of people in recent years."

[Jagermonster]

I used to spend my summers up there. Leelanau county is a beautiful place.

[Sequoyah101]

Im calling BS on this one.

The Arkansas river alone is nearly limitless in supply.

[dhs12345]

Lol. The trick would be to maintain ownership as one despotic ruler replaces the next and so on. :)

[DoughtyOne]

That’s about it. LOL

[Jagermonster]

Is that by the Pierce Stocking overlook? The climb back up there takes a LONG time, but the run down is SO worth it.

[Auntie Dem]

A side benefit of getting sand from the ocean bottom is it will lower the sea level and save humanity!

[arthurus]

there are already signs that we are running out of seawater.

[TigersEye]

There is indeed quite a bit of it – about 7.5 quintillion grains on Earth’s beaches and deserts, according to one estimate.

I demand a recount!

[arthurus]

No supply and no demand is legitimate unless the government directs it and plans it. The true shortage is that of Government Experts.

[piasa]

In the 90s National Geo was carrying on about desert encroachment... lots of photos of sand dunes swallowing houses, etc..

[lacrew]

This is one of the dumbest stories I’ve ever read.

[MarMema]

I used to spend my summers up there. Leelanau county is a beautiful place.

It is. We try to get over there when we can....one of our favorite places.

[MarMema]

Heh. I snagged that off the net but I do think that is along the P/S drive.

[Leaning Right]

This just in: Hillary Clinton adds “shortage of sand” to reasons why she lost the election.

[Jagermonster]

I think the story missed the point - Its not as if there is truly a shortage of sand. The problem is that there's so much of it just lying around that people are willing to just take it without regard to law, property rights, environmental impact (shudder), etc., because it can be sold.

That depresses the price for sand, which would drive out responsible vendors. Buy from the sand mafia at $5 a ton from their operation in the national park, or $10 a ton from the guy who runs a sand pit on his own property. It makes a difference.

[Jeff Chandler]

Glamis, California

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

You could see them from Glen lake where I spent my Summers as a kid. Beautiful country!