Natural stone flooring is generally not one of the greener choices, especially compared to other flooring such as cork or bamboo. It is not considered a renewable resource and it takes a lot of heavy machinery to mine, which contributes to the depletion of fossil fuels as well as increased air pollution.
The upside is that stone is plentiful in supply and does not release harmful VOC's into the environment as certain man made materials do. Also, stone that is easier to excavate and found closer to the surface such as sandstone and slate takes less energy to harvest. Marble and granite, on the other hand are found much deeper and are harder to excavate, requiring more energy. Another point to consider is how far the stone has to travel to reach you. Finding a stone that is produced locally will minimize the amount of travel related pollution.
Hope this helps. Please take a look at our guide on green-friendly flooring for more information:
www.findanyfloor.com/Green/GreenFr...
Michael Prachniak - Expert Tile and Stone Consultant and Writer, Owner - Tile Productions
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