HBO is sparing no expense for its upcoming fantasy drama Game of Thrones, but did the network’s largesse come at the expense of the environment? The Malta Times reports that the series recently shot on a protected beach in Dwerja, where the production covered the area in “a sand-like substance made from powdered stone.†(Apparently, beaches don’t have enough sand on their own?) “It obliterated the micro habitat of all the species in that area, whether flora or fauna,†said biodiversity expert Alfred E. Baldacchino, who accused the network of “environmental crime.†One upside: Environmental crime would make a great hook for a procedural drama. Get on that, HBO! [Malta Times via io9]