WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR A SAND BAR

I used to think sustainability in construction meant energy efficiency and recycled materials. Turns out it also means preventing murder.

"Best estimates show that just 37.5% of the 40-plus billion tons of sand pulled from the earth each year is mined legally. The rest comes courtesy of the illegal economy."

In 2013, a vegetable farmer in India made noise to shut down an illegal sand mine because the dust from digging was stunting his crops. The sand mafia broke into his home and shot him.

Andrew's story about construction-grade sand is important to read if you're in the construction industry. At the link below there's an option to listen to the story if you're not the reading type 😊

If you've been wondering how to you can make a positive impact on the world with your AEC job, let me give you some role-specific ideas related to easing the demand for sand.

🏢Architect - design with as little concrete as possible, study recycled materials for interior design, inform your network about the dark side of harvesting sand. I feel like I'm talking about the spice trade in Dune.

💡Electrical Engineer - specify LED lights with plastic tubes instead of fluorescent with glass.

🆒Mechanical Engineer - recommend recycled material insulation, whether recycled fiberglass or an alternative like cellulose, wood fiber, even denim.

🏛️Structural Engineer - study fly ash as an aggregate material for concrete. The Netherlands is already implementing this.

🛣️Civil Engineer - specify crushed concrete from reclaimed demolition to be used in road base.

🏗️Contractor - find sources of recycled construction and demolition waste to reuse on your jobs. The EU has requirements; study them. Watch your waste when stockpiling sand or other material.

Link to Popular Mechanics and Andrew Zaleski’s story on Sand —> https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/a69958310/global-sand-shortage-mafia/