{"id":39548,"date":"2018-10-22T09:52:13","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T14:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=39548"},"modified":"2018-10-22T09:52:13","modified_gmt":"2018-10-22T14:52:13","slug":"murdered-for-sand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=39548","title":{"rendered":"Murdered for Sand"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Murdered for Sand<\/a><\/h3>\n

The world is running out of sand, and people are dying as a result<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is to cities what flour is to bread, what cells are to our bodies: the invisible but fundamental ingredient that makes up the bulk of the built environment in which most of us\u00a0live.\u201c<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Vince Beiser<\/a>, author of \u201cThe World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

T<\/span>hink of a valuable resource. What images come into your mind\u2019s eye? Maybe oil? Water? Perhaps you looked at a ring on your finger and thought of gold. All of these are valuable resources, it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n

Now, what if I told you sand was also an incredibly rare and precious resource? It may sound absurd, especially if you\u2019ve been anywhere near a beach or desert lately, but the world is running out of sand. A crucial material in everything from cellphones to high-rises, the resource is being used up faster than it can replenish itself, sparking environmental concerns and community conflicts. Some are even willing to kill for it.<\/p>\n

You may not realize it, but nearly everything around you is built with sand. The concrete your apartment, condo, or house is made out of was mixed with sand. The glass windows you look through to see what the weather looks like\u200a\u2014\u200athose were made with sand as well. The cellphone or computer you\u2019re reading this on\u200a\u2014\u200athe silicon chips in them are made with sand. The road you travel on to work\u200a\u2014\u200asand as well. If you live in any kind of urban setting, it is constructed with sand.<\/p>\n

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