As landscapers and gardeners, I feel we should take our ethical responsibilities extremely seriously. If we exploit or use a product in the construction of a garden we should know where a product has come from, how it has been produced and if it's from a sustainable source.
Indian sandstone has become popular with garden designers and landscapers in recent years; the wide range of vibrant colours and textured surfaces can make a landscaping scheme stand out strong against any planting scheme.
Its supply however, comes with a cost - both in terms of the environmental impact as it is mined and also in the way of human cost in getting it to market.
Many of the quarries in India are unregulated, employ child labour and have either non-existent or poor health and safety procedures.
At the beginning of 2010, group marketing director for Marshalls plc, Chris Harrop, visited the natural stone quarries of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to examine first-hand the conditions in quarries that the Marshalls brand does not source from, before making a decision as to whether to source their products.
Read Chris' blog about his trip - Chris Harrop’s Trip to the Natural Stone Quarriesof Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
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