[et_pb_section][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”0|” padding_mobile=”on” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_post_title admin_label=”Post Title” title=”on” meta=”on” author=”on” date=”on” categories=”on” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” featured_placement=”below” parallax_effect=”on” parallax_method=”on” text_orientation=”left” text_color=”dark” text_background=”off” text_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0.9)” module_bg_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” title_all_caps=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”0||0|” custom_padding=”0||0|” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”0|||” custom_padding=”0|||”] [shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”21407147″] With more people concerned about the health of the environment, it has been shown that installing marble countertops, or those made with other natural stone materials, benefits the atmosphere in more ways than one. For starters, natural stone building materials are a product of nature and have no effect on the environment as some other materials do when manufactured or even installed.

 

Granite and marble – two of the most popular materials used in home building – have a much longer life than other materials and can be reused for other home remodeling projects at the end of their need. If they do become outdated and pulled from use in the home, they can be ground up and used for a variety of other purposes. They are not likely to ever find their way into a landfill.

Even when marble countertops are being processed for use, the water used in the process is contained in a closed-loop system allowing for a greater reduction in the use of water in the cutting and smoothing steps. Since the majority of these countertops are of a one-piece design, they also do not use any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to cement them together. While there will be adhesives used in the installation process, there are other greener materials available instead.

Durability is one of the selling points of marble countertops with them expected to last longer than the lifetime of the home in which they are installed. Consider all of the ancient structures in Greece, Egypt and Italy that were constructed of marble or granite centuries ago and how they are still standing and being in use today. Natural stone is one of the most sustainable materials used for building known to man.

Transporting marble countertops can be challenging due to the weight and size of the marble slabs. However, with the number of mines and processing plants in the United States alone, their trek to the building site is relatively short. Additionally, when stone quarries have reached their useful life, meaning they are no longer producing the materials needed for construction, they are being reclaimed. Many former mines have already been converted back to green space and are used for countless new projects.

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