Apuan Alps of Tuscany, Italy. A fascinating place due to its geological, botanical and landscape characteristics—also the site where the famous, white Carrara marble is extracted. Every year, approximately five million tons of the mountain are removed via its quarries but only a minimal amount for ornamental use: 80% of the extracted marble is made up of fragments, mostly employed in the production of calcium carbonate. This material is widely used in industry and it can be found in bleached paper, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foods, toothpaste, paints, glues, detergents, plastics, rubber...to name just a few! The environmental impact increases and the landscape is undergoing irreversible changes. We need long-term strategies, oriented towards sustainable activities, in order to start a different trend. Otherwise the problem will be resolved only when the mountain has been completely erased.
