Israel: Police arrest contractors in illegal sand mining conspiracy
Though it may sound counterintuitive to steal and sell sand in a desert region like the Middle East, sand mining is big business. For years sand mining has been a major source of income for organized crime figures.
Sea level rise a big issue for military in Hampton Roads, science says
A new Union of Concerned Scientists study evaluated the risks of climate-induced inundation at a sample of 18 military bases on the East and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Flooding and storm surge at Langley and other coastal military installations will only get worse — maybe a lot worse.
19,000 Sea Turtle Eggs Seized in Anti-Smuggling Operation
Police seized 19,000 sea turtle eggs off the coast of Malaysia in a special operation to hobble a major smuggling syndicate.
Laos: Chinese demand for sand and cement delivers wage for Laotian workers – but is destroying the Mekong
China world’s top consumer of sand – devouring more than 60 per cent of the global output and using more in four years than the US did in the entire 20th century.
On first International Day, UNESCO calls for protection of mangrove ecosystems
Mangroves are rare and vital ecosystems that help to protect coastlines and mitigate the effects of climate change, but their survival is being jeopardized, the United Nations cultural agency said July 26th,2016, on first World’s Mangrove Day, calling for greater preservation efforts as the international community marks the first ever International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.
Nova Scotia’s remote Sable Island now on Google Street View
Parts of the crescent-shaped island, situated roughly 290 kilometres southeast of Halifax, can now be seen on Google Street View. The 42-kilometre long, 1.5-kilometre wide island isn’t the first Canadian national park to appear on Google Map, but its addition is especially unique and exciting because it is largely inaccessible to the general public.
West Bengal: Green hopes run dry as rampant mining goes unchecked
Rampant illegal sand mining and excavation of boulders from river beds are threatening the ecology of several rivers and all the three major river basins in West Bengal. Estimates suggest that there are at least 500 quarries in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts alone.
A new power plant could devastate the world’s largest mangrove forest
The planet’s largest mangrove forest could be facing serious trouble in the form of two new coal-fired power plants, environmentalists say — and they’re urging the United Nations to draw greater attention to the issue.
What It’s Like to Be a Professional Sand Sculptor
Despite the careful artistry and heavy manual labor, being a professional sand sculptor really is fun. “It’s living the dream.” “I’m making sandcastles for a living. Who the hell does that?”