A combination of population growth and global urbanization is straining a crucial, often overlooked material: sand.
Why it matters: The explosive growth of cities around the world is driving an unprecedented demand for sand. The global rush to fill that demand has triggered a host of consequences, including environmental disasters and organized crime.
Millions of travelers whose Thanksgiving holiday plans were thrown into disarray by two powerful storm systems now have to deal with another coast-to-coast winter storm system on the way home, per the National Weather Service.
The latest: Motorists face heavy snow "from parts of California to the northern Midwest and drenches other areas with rain," AP reports. Over 1,300 flights were delayed and 300 canceled Saturday, according to FlightAware.
Officials warned people who live near a southeast Texas petrochemical plant Saturday "not to touch" debris from fires still burning from a series of explosions on Thanksgiving's eve because of possible asbestos exposure, ABC reports.
What's new: Officials said the fires at the TPC facility in Port Neches had been contained, enabling 50,000 evacuated residents to return home, per CBC News, which notes "plumes of smoke" could still be seen at the plant but the air quality was found to be safe.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry is launching a coalition of high-profile names — including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Leonardo DiCaprio — aimed at building public support for tougher steps against global warming, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: Theunveiling of the "World War Zero" coalition comes ahead of a big U.N. climate summit that begins in Madrid, Spain next week. The group's name, per the NYT, is meant to emphasize national security risks posed by warming and the "wartime mobilization" needed to rein in emissions.
