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Build and Scrap: How Japan’s Rapid Economic Growth Built Cities and Eroded Nature
Gravel extracted from the Abe River helped build postwar Japan, but the resulting loss of sediment accelerated erosion along the Shizuoka and Shimizu coasts. This article examines how urban growth transferred environmental costs to rivers and beaches—and what the experience teaches us about natural capital and sustainable development. -
Where Does the Sand Beneath Our Cities Come From? Construction, Coastal Erosion, and the Global Sand Crisis
Cities depend on enormous quantities of sand and gravel for concrete, roads, and infrastructure. This article explores how construction demand is reshaping rivers and seabeds, accelerating coastal erosion, damaging ecosystems, and creating a global need for sustainable sand management.
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