Torches break stacks of sand 

If you need to clear a stack of or , take out the bottom and quickly replace it with a . The rest of the stack will collapse onto the torch and break apart.

!!! This is a very good idea if you want sand (I know it's easy to mine sand and you just need to go to creative to get a load of 'em, but where's the fun in that?)! Go to creative, get 1 sand block, place it as high as you want (MAX: 320 blocks high), then get a torch, go the survival (make sure your down on the ground!), then do the instructions above.