--- title: "$500,000 Sand Dune to Protect Vacation Homes Washes Away in Three Days" description: "A community in Massachusetts spent half a million dollars on a sand dune to protect their lavish, coastal homes. It was swept away in 3 days." date: "2024-03-13" modified: "2024-03-13" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/sand-dune-homes-swept-away" categories: - "Climate Change" - "Environment" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "climate change" - "coastal erosion" - "coastal flooding" - "the digest" --- # $500,000 Sand Dune to Protect Vacation Homes Washes Away in Three Days ![A community in Massachusetts spent half a million dollars on a sand dune to protect their lavish, coastal homes. It was swept away in 3 days.]() *\Image: RYAN MCBRIDE/AFP via Getty Images\* ## Swept Up In a desperate attempt to keep away the ocean tides, residents of an affluent vacation community in Massachusetts spent half a million dollars on a sand dune to protect their lavish coastal homes. Unfortunately for them, the Atlantic wasn't impressed, sweeping away the 14,000 tons of sand in a matter of just three days, according to [local *ABC*-affiliated news station *WCVB*](). Local resident Ron Guilmette called the situation at the nearby Salisbury Beach, about an hour north of Boston, "catastrophic." "I don’t know what the solution is," he told *WCVB*. The incident highlights the very real risks of climate change, which has been shown to not only lead to rising sea levels, but [more frequent and more ferocious storms]() as well. ## Washed Out The area had already been battered by several fierce storms, including two in January alone. At the time, Boston recorded some of the [highest tides ever recorded]() in the city's history. Meanwhile, coastal homes have [become a ticking time bomb]() in light of rising temperatures and sea levels. While the wealthy have the resources to move away, others with fewer resources aren't as lucky. According to the United Nations Development Program, [tens of millions of people]() who live near the coast are exposed to an increased flood risk due to the impact of climate change across the globe. By 2100, 73 million people could live in floodplains that have a one-in-20 chance of flooding. And coastal counties in the US are just as vulnerable, with up to $106 billion worth of coastal property likely being wiped out by rising tides by 2050, [according to the Environmental Protection Agency](), if current climate trends continue. In response, communities are constructing barriers, elevating buildings, and restoring coastal habitats with the goal of protecting coasts from climate change. But unfortunately for the inhabitants of Salisbury, 14,000 tons of sand are no match for our rapidly changing climate. **More on climate change:** *[Scientist Terrified by How the Climate Is Falling Apart]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()