Beach erosion is nothing new to Ocean Isle Beach, a small community in North Carolina. But this year, residents are scrambling to protect their homes with sandbags, worried the shoreline is slipping away faster than ever.
What’s happening?
Erosion is carving away the beachfront in Brunswick County, leaving houses more vulnerable with each passing season. Locals say the issue has accelerated, forcing some to secure permits for emergency sandbag walls along the shoreline, WWAY reported.
Normally, the Army Corps of Engineers pumps in new sand during a beach re-nourishment project. However, this year the contractor was unable to complete the project. That left residents to fend for themselves.
“Hopefully someone will take the job and it’ll get re-nourished out here. You’re just buying time; it’s not a fix forever,” longtime resident Mickey Cochran told WWAY.
Why is beach erosion concerning?
When natural buffers like dunes and beaches erode, homes and infrastructure lose their first line of defense against storms and flooding. Rising seas magnify the risks, which have already climbed about 8 inches globally since 1880.
Human activity plays a role as well. Burning dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and gas adds pollution to the atmosphere that warms the planet and melts glaciers and ice sheets. That extra water, along with the thermal expansion of warming oceans, drives sea levels higher, leaving coastal communities like Ocean Isle more exposed.
These stronger, faster-changing conditions are part of a broader trend. While extreme weather events have always existed, scientists say human-driven warming is like putting storms and flooding on steroids, making them more powerful and destructive.
What’s being done about it?
Local officials are trying to stabilize the beach with sand fencing, new dunes, and planted vegetation. But long-term protection goes beyond sandbags. Communities across the country are investing in flood-resilient infrastructure, restoring wetlands, and using oyster reefs to naturally blunt wave energy.
Everyday actions help, too. Reducing home energy use, choosing cleaner transportation, and supporting renewable energy all help reduce the pollution driving sea level rise. Exploring critical climate issues can also show practical ways to stay engaged and support solutions.
While sandbags might buy Ocean Isle residents a little time, bigger steps — both local and global — will determine how well coastal towns weather the rising tide.
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