IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i21p15637-d1274551.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unearthing the Construction Industry’s Awareness of and Reactions to the Global Sand Crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Yunxin Peng

    (D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

  • Adel A. Zadeh

    (College of Professional Studies, Northeastern University, Toronto, ON M5X IE2, Canada)

  • Sheila M. Puffer

    (D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

Abstract

The United Nations has declared a global sand crisis. The construction industry, as a major user of sand, needs to significantly reduce the use of this finite natural resource. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of awareness of the sand crisis among construction industry professionals, to assess their reactions upon learning of the crisis, and to determine sources of information for those who are aware of the crisis. The Cognitive-Affective-Conative model was applied as the theoretical framework. The study is based on a survey and in-depth interviews with 75 construction industry professionals in the United States and Canada. Analyses included level of awareness by professional role and by reaction, as well as level of awareness by role and by type of information. Results showed that knowledge of the sand crisis was generally low. A content analysis of interview transcripts categorized five reactions to the crisis. These results suggest that generally across all roles, those with more familiarity with the sand crisis had reactions of proactive and feel bad while those with less familiarity expressed curiosity and surprise. Denial was expressed by a few. Recommendations include: First, greater efforts are required to inform construction industry professionals of the need to reduce the use of sand. Second, it is important to determine reactions upon learning of the crisis in order to generate interest and galvanize action. Third, determining the source of knowledge can help assess effective ways of broadly disseminating information to the construction industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunxin Peng & Adel A. Zadeh & Sheila M. Puffer, 2023. "Unearthing the Construction Industry’s Awareness of and Reactions to the Global Sand Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:21:p:15637-:d:1274551
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/21/15637/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/21/15637/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shampa Ghosh & Jitendra Kumar Sinha & Soumya Ghosh & Kshitij Vashisth & Sungsoo Han & Rakesh Bhaskar, 2023. "Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to the Global Environment and Human Health," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Deqin Lin & Yuetong Zhao, 2023. "The Impact of Environmental Regulations on Enterprises’ Green Innovation: The Mediating Effect of Managers’ Environmental Awareness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-26, July.
    3. Rashid Maqbool & Mohammed Rayan Saiba & Ayman Altuwaim & Yahya Rashid & Saleha Ashfaq, 2023. "The influence of industrial attitudes and behaviours in adopting sustainable construction practices," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 893-907, April.
    4. Susan Owens, 2000. "‘Engaging the Public’: Information and Deliberation in Environmental Policy," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 32(7), pages 1141-1148, July.
    5. Kedi Gong & Lu Tian & Junyi Wu & Ziming Luo & Quanhong Xu, 2023. "A Study on the Audience Psychological Effects of “Cloud Tourism” Based on Webcast: A New Mechanism for Sustainable Development in the Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, June.
    6. Gregory Cook & Jean-Pierre Ponssard, 2011. "A proposal for the renewal of sectoral approaches building on the Cement Sustainability Initiative," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(5), pages 1246-1256, September.
    7. Owens, Susan & Driffill, Louise, 2008. "How to change attitudes and behaviours in the context of energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 4412-4418, December.
    8. Mette Bendixen & Jim Best & Chris Hackney & Lars Lønsmann Iversen, 2019. "Time is running out for sand," Nature, Nature, vol. 571(7763), pages 29-31, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rahman, Abul & Khanam, Tahamina & Pelkonen, Paavo, 2017. "People’s knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards stump harvesting for bioenergy production in Finland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 107-116.
    2. Islam, Aminul & Chan, Eng-Seng & Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin & Mondal, Md. Alam Hossain & Moniruzzaman, M. & Mridha, Moniruzzaman, 2014. "Energy security in Bangladesh perspective—An assessment and implication," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 154-171.
    3. Heffron, Raphael J. & McCauley, Darren & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2015. "Resolving society's energy trilemma through the Energy Justice Metric," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 168-176.
    4. Anna Borawska & Mariusz Borawski & Małgorzata Łatuszyńska, 2022. "Effectiveness of Electricity-Saving Communication Campaigns: Neurophysiological Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    5. Lindsay C. Stringer & Mark S. Reed & Andrew J. Dougill & Mary K. Seely & Martin Rokitzki, 2007. "Implementing the UNCCD: Participatory challenges," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 31(3), pages 198-211, August.
    6. Bernadeta Gołębiowska & Anna Bartczak & Mikołaj Czajkowski, 2020. "Energy Demand Management and Social Norms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Bin Lei & Linjie Yu & Zhiyu Chen & Wanying Yang & Cheng Deng & Zhuo Tang, 2022. "Carbon Emission Evaluation of Recycled Fine Aggregate Concrete Based on Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Palm, Alvar & Lantz, Björn, 2020. "Information dissemination and residential solar PV adoption rates: The effect of an information campaign in Sweden," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    9. Nolan Ritter & Julia Anna Bingler, 2021. "Do homo sapiens know their prices? Insights on dysfunctional price mechanisms from a large field experiment," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 21/348, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    10. Da Gao & Xiaotian Zhou & Jing Wan, 2024. "Unlocking sustainability potential: The impact of green finance reform on corporate ESG performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4211-4226, September.
    11. Md. Mahfuzul Islam & A. Aldrie Amir & Rawshan Ara Begum, 2021. "Community awareness towards coastal hazard and adaptation strategies in Pahang coast of Malaysia," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 107(2), pages 1593-1620, June.
    12. Hernández-Escobedo, Q. & Fernández-García, A. & Manzano-Agugliaro, F., 2017. "Solar resource assessment for rural electrification and industrial development in the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1550-1561.
    13. Kannan Badri Narayanan & Rakesh Bhaskar, 2024. "Green Nanotechnology: Paving the Way for Environmental Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-4, July.
    14. Dalia Streimikiene & Tomas Balezentis, 2019. "Innovative Policy Schemes to Promote Renovation of Multi-Flat Residential Buildings and Address the Problems of Energy Poverty of Aging Societies in Former Socialist Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, April.
    15. Büchs, Milena & Bahaj, AbuBakr S. & Blunden, Luke & Bourikas, Leonidas & Falkingham, Jane & James, Patrick & Kamanda, Mamusu & Wu, Yue, 2018. "Promoting low carbon behaviours through personalised information? Long-term evaluation of a carbon calculator interview," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 284-293.
    16. Karen Bickerstaff & Emma Hinton & Harriet Bulkeley, 2016. "Decarbonisation at home: The contingent politics of experimental domestic energy technologies," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(10), pages 2006-2025, October.
    17. Harriet Bulkeley & Tim Rayner, 2003. "New Realism and Local Realities: Local Transport Planning in Leicester and Cambridgeshire," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 40(1), pages 35-55, January.
    18. Llewellyn, David H. & Rohse, Melanie & Day, Rosie & Fyfe, Hamish, 2017. "Evolving energy landscapes in the South Wales Valleys: Exploring community perception and participation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 818-828.
    19. Davies, N.J. & Weston, R., 2015. "Reducing car-use for leisure: Can organised walking groups switch from car travel to bus and train walks?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 23-29.
    20. Petra Mesarić & Damira Đukec & Slavko Krajcar, 2017. "Exploring the Potential of Energy Consumers in Smart Grid Using Focus Group Methodology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:21:p:15637-:d:1274551. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.