Quarries

Quoted text begins.On another note, I attended a stone industry meeting recently where an
attendee spoke of desecration inflicted by stone people upon the
Earth, how we were robbing our future generations of a valuable
resource. I've searched unsuccessfully for references to reply to this
statement, can anyone help?
End of quote.

Simon,
I try to sensitive to other people's point of view, but as I get
older, my patience grows thinner. That's about the only thing getting
thinner about me!

When I come across this kind of thinking I ask the question, what is
the alternative to using stone?

If we use wood for our needs, then we are destroying the forests and
all that implies to the environment. Maybe we could live in mud and
straw huts, but that destroys topsoil. Plastic construction sounds
good, but it takes petroleum to make plastic. Concrete construction
needs gravel, so that's out. I know, we can live in metal houses, but
no, that requires mining. If I ran into the person you refer to, I
would point out that human beings are here, now. We have needs, and
will have an impact of this earth as long as we are here. The only way
to save valuable stone for future generations is for us not to be
here. It just does not make any sense to me. Besides, I haven't heard
of a shortage of stone, anywhere.

I am all for smarter use of our resources, and digging up the earth is
very destructive, but comparing mining methods of today to what was
done 100 years ago, shows that we have come along way.

We've got save the trees, forests, whales, bears, snail darters and
condors organizations, so I guess there's room for a save the rocks
group! The next time I see a stone trying to cross the road I'll stop
and help, and if its real pretty, I'll take it home and carve it!
There, I feel better now. Its good to fire off a good rant now and
then.

thanks
George Graham
http://www.grahamsculpturestudio.com