Why Salt Is Vital — But Potentially Catastrophic

Wars fought over it, roads paved for its trade, taxed levied against it and even cities named for its legacy. Salt was once needed to made international economics possible. Salt has shaped the global economy — and the way we use it has shifted dramatically throughout history.

Now, salt’s biggest use is to keep roads safe. The global market for salt was worth over an estimated $13 billion in 2021. More salt is permeating our environment. This increased salinization contaminates drinking water and soils and causes billions in damages.

“You could not have an international economy if you didn’t have salt,” Mark Kurlansky, author of “Salt: A World History,” told CNBC. “There was very little food you could export without salt. Vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products.”

Watch the video above to learn more about how salt became a game-changing mineral and solutions for a saltier world.

Chapters:
0:00 — Introduction
01:26 — From food to roads
05:33 — Hidden markets
07:53 — Saltier world
10:23 — Solutions

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Why Salt Is Vital — But Potentially Catastrophic