At first glance, stone quarrying appears to be a messy business. Great mounds of earth are excavated and massive blocks of limestone, marble, sandstone, and nearly every other type of stone under the sun are carved and carted off for dressing and further finishing. But, once all that dust settles, the harvest and use of natural stone is an environmentally low-impact proposition when compared to manufacturing building materials like concrete and steel, among others, owing to fewer steps in transportation and production. Quarriers and fabricators, both stateside and around the world, are implementing additional practices and strategies to reduce their environmental impact even more.