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i use a wooden cutting board that i clean with a stiff brush and then season with vegetable oil after each use. i also sharpen my knives with oil and a sharpening stone.....sharp knives make cutting meat/vegetables/spices much easier and quicker. i also have a tree stump in the back that i use to initially prepare fresh game.

Using good knives on marble and granite is not a good thing. It dulls them. I use my granite for pastry and chocolate work.
I have a butcher block top for my island and I chop on that. I have 3 plastic ones for meats.
4.5 inch butcher block is nice for an area of your counter top but I would not put it everywhere. It requires attention to staining and needs to be seasoned regularly.

If it was me, I'd do all the counter surfaces with butcher-block, keeping one section in polished marble for bread/pastry making.

I only use wood and bamboo, I avoid using as much plastic in life as possible. The whole thing about plastic for meat being "safer" is a BS myth. Who wants shredded plastic micro particles in their food? Not me. The fact is, the more you use a plastic board, the more cuts it gets in it, and the harder it is to clean and disinfect. Wood however, since it is porous, can be cleaned. There is research to support this. Here's one link. Here's another.

Try to ween yourselves off the plastic, people. It's expensive, ugly, and bad for you and the environment.

I chop on wood. Butcher block when possible but other boards as well. I'd love to try a new bamboo board. Several years ago, the New York Times did a study on poly boards vs. wooden boards. They thought it would be a no-brainer, 15 minutes' work - the wooden boards would surely lose. Guess again. They couldn't even cultivate bacteria on the wooden boards. Some care in the way of the occasional bleach solution bath and oiling will keep wooden boards well for a long and happy life in your kitchen. I don't even own a poly board.

Chiffy

Bamboo board for chopping/slicing. Easy to clean and maintain. Granite and marble are beautiful and useful for anything else, but they will kill your knives.

Thanks to all for your insightful comments. I have some big Boos chopping boards now, so obviously I will not be tossing those when all the granite (for show) and marble (for pastry and chocolate) go in---probably in the spring. I had hoped to live without the clunky boards on top, but looks like they're staying. Again, thanks for your comments.

I have a tiny kitchen and after adding food processor, knife block and toaster oven, there is NO counter space. Solution: an inexpensive wooden board with vinyl/adjustable side brackets that fits over one side of my double sink. It cost around $10.00 at Bed Bath and Beyond and has served the purpose for over 20 years. A good scrub and oil fairly often have kept it decent looking and usable. It's my answer for all slicing, chopping and pounding. I tried plastic on top of it and didn't like the feel and the one that I bought showed cuts that made me wary of using it. (BB&B still carries the wooden model I have.)

Marble and Granite countertops are not the thing to be cutting on. Ruins the knife AND is dangerous because the blade can "skip" sideways and do serious injury. There is a reason butchers cut on Butcher Block.

As far as bamboo is concerned I tried them and found them less durable and they tend to crack if you're not careful.

Also thoise white plastic boards are actually petroleum based and recent studies are showing that they actually can harbor and grow bacteria as the board wears. I was reading Michigan Maple Blocks web page and they have alot of information about choosing a cutting board. Of course they want you to buy one of thiers but they still have good information.