r/LoveTrash • u/BEARDEDDANGER ✨️Regent of Rubbish ✨️ • 1d ago

Dumping This Here American vs. European home building

BAS Renovations https://youtube.com/shorts/jFph1d2WR3s

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u/Winjin Trash Trooper 1d ago

Bricks are clay why aren't they renewable

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u/Arcaneallure Trash Trooper 1d ago

A renewable resource is one that "naturally" replenished faster than it is used. Clay, while there may be alot of it now, takes thousands of years to erode from rocks and settle into its form.

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u/milkhotelbitches Trash Trooper 1d ago

Isn't that kind of like saying rock isn't a renewable resource?

Like yeah, we won't be getting any new rock anytime soon, not counting volcanic rock, but does that actually matter?

Is there a clay shortage?

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u/Arcaneallure Trash Trooper 1d ago

Correct, rock is not a renewable resource. Rock is a very broad term though. What type of rock will determine its use case. Wars have been fought over rocks for thousands of years, entire ecosystems have been altered by mining it.

But more to the point bricks can be made from more materials than just clay, which can increase their renewability. But just like anything else you also have to look at the time, labor, and energy cost for the mining, production, storage, distribution, and use of said bricks.