Have you ever wondered what it took to make that lovely gold ring on your finger? It took countless fossil fuel spewing machines bringing down thousands of trees and thousands of gallons of water digging yawning craters where the gold ore was believed to be located.Once extracted, the ore will then be subjected to a chemical treatment to extract the gold. Nearly 200,000 tons of poisonous chemicals, generally cyanide, are used to separate the gold from the rock each year. In all, the process may create 20 tons of toxic waste to produce enough gold for just one ring. And that toxic pollution may be what gets left behind if incidents occur like that in Honduras of August 2010 which released high acidity and metal concentrations into the water sources. The alternative: eco friendly jewelry.
What is Eco Friendly Jewelry?
Eco friendly jewelry can be defined as jewelry that was produced from materials that did not require the further deterioration of the environment. One of the materials that can be used in making eco friendly jewelry is post-consumer recycled gold. This gold was gathered from old jewelry that was no longer in use. Most of these are class rings, broken necklaces and bracelets, and the single remaining earring. This gold can be recycled to make new pieces of eco friendly jewelry, without having to mine for raw gold.
Aside from gold pieces, eco friendly jewelry may also include beads from recycled wood that may come from the responsible forest management of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Other pieces may utilize recycled materials like nuts, bolts, washers, or old hardware parts. These types of green jewelry create unique pieces without harming the environment.
Conflict Free Diamonds
Due to the value and popularity of diamonds, many diamond-producing countries have suffered at the hands of rebel and terrorist groups who fund their operations from the sale of these precious stones. Angola, Liberia, and Sierra Leone are a few of the conflict areas that have been terrorized by militia groups controlling their local diamond trade.
There are now conflict free diamonds that are ethically sourced. These diamonds were mined without trampling on human rights, utilizing child labor, or creating environmental destruction.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was created in 2002 to try to control, if not eliminate, the blood diamond trade. The United Nations has backed this system to now document and track diamonds marking them with the Kimberley Process certification ensuring that their origination was not from a conflict zone.
Fair Trade Jewelry
Another eco-friendly option is fair trade jewelry. Fair trade jewelry supports ethical and fair business practices throughout the jewelry supply chain. These jewelry options also help to regenerate local economies, provide safe working conditions, support cultural integrity and help environmental sustainability.
