Marble is luxurious - but is it sustainable?
Source: https://www.popsci.com/environment/marble-sustainability/
Author: Carla Delgado
The process of extracting a natural stone takes a toll on the environment. Perhaps the most obvious impact is the visible change in the landscape. “Digging a quarry generally means that vegetation must be removed from an area, and the original land surface will ultimately vanish, to be replaced by a large hole in the ground,” Marshak says. Quarrying can also displace or destroy animal or plant habitats, says Scott D., the head of the Coal, Bedrock, and Industrial Minerals Section at the Illinois State Geological Survey. Even if habitats are not completely removed, the general environmental disturbance caused by quarrying, such as noise pollution, changes to ground or surface water, and ground vibrations, can still affect biodiversity by affecting the reproduction of species and causing habitats to dry out or become flooded.