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Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

 

by John Mattke, Chairman,

Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

 

I’m hearing a lot about “green.” What does it mean in terms of natural stone?

“Green” is a buzzword associated with everything and anything that’s supposedly better for our environment. There is little disagreement that stone, in and of itself, is a natural material. It is, after all a natural element of the Earth, even in its final form. However, green refers to more than the natural stone material and its many characteristics that enhance its environmental profile (natural material, durable, recyclable, reusable, etc.). Green also encompasses the environmental performance of the companies that produce it — in our case, the stone industry itself. We are viewed by buyers (businesses, consumers) based on the choices we make to lessen the impact on the environment. Current perceptions of the stone industry include a dirty, unsophisticated operating environment, high energy consumption, high water consumption and high waste factors. It is our challenge to help our industry address these perceptions with hard data in a proactive way.

Isn’t “green” just marketing lingo?

 

Absolutely not. Green has become a concern of customers in all sectors, particularly in light of growing global concern about climate change. Unfortunately, as green marketing has grown, so has the confusion as to which products are really the best choices when it comes to sustainability and the environment. Statements or claims need to be genuine and substantiated by true science versus “green washing,” a term that refers to claims or statements made by companies and industries that are not supported by facts. The NSC is committed to providing the research and promotional support necessary to help those of us in the natural stone industry substantiate our claims about natural stone as a green product.

More Q&A tomorrow on stone and sustainability!

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine