The jewelry industry is notorious for its destructive effect on the environment, as well as its negative impact upon human rights and fair trade. For the most part, there is absolutely nothing eco-friendly about it. That’s why it’s important to realize that you can make a real difference in the world by supporting businesses that sell eco-friendly jewelry made by environmentally and socially responsible methods.
Many jewelry businesses have realized that they can make money by selling eco friendly wedding rings, eco friendly necklaces, and eco friendly earrings because more and more consumers are beginning to realize that supporting environmentally-conscious businesses has both local and global benefits.
Diamonds
Conflict diamonds, also called “blood diamonds”, have provided funding for devastating civil wars in Africa and are directly responsible for the loss of millions of lives. Furthermore, these conflict diamonds are associated with many human rights abuses, including worker exploitation and violence. And to make matters worse, they are also extracted by methods that cause tremendous damage to the environment. Eco friendly rings are never made from blood diamonds.
Conflict-free diamonds are harder to obtain because of the difficulties of guaranteeing that they are mined in a manner that is socially and environmentally responsible. One source of conflict free diamonds is Canada. Canadian diamonds are mined in accordance with some of the strictest environmental regulations in the world. Eco friendly diamond rings mined in Canada are completely free from issues of violence and human rights abuse.
Precious Metals
It requires an overwhelming amount of dynamite and destructive force to rip open the earth and extract the precious metals and gemstones buried underneath. The process of mining gold is especially destructive because it contaminates groundwater sources with cyanide and mercury. This environmental pollution causes serious health hazards to workers at the mine, the people in the nearby communities, and wildlife everywhere.
In addition to destroying the environment, the gold mining industry has a very poor track record regarding safety standards, labor practices, and respect for indigenous populations. This is why it’s important to select jewelry made from eco friendly gold that is responsibly mined, or better yet, recycled.
Pearls
Compared to the destructive practices employed by the gold and gemstone mining industries, conventional pro-farming is not much better. Many pearl farms encourage the depletion of species, create environmental havoc, and destroy ecosystems by using high-powered hoses to clean oysters. It is a common practice in pearl farms to cultivate pearls using mussel nuclei, which depletes native mussel populations.
With eco-friendly pearl farming techniques, such as those used by Kamoka pearls from Tahiti, environmental damage is reduced or eliminated. Kamoka pearls are cleaned naturally by various species of tropical fish. Labor and cost-effective systems such as this help to protect the environment while increasing fish populations at the same time.
Recycled Precious Metals
Whenever consumers or jewelry companies buy recycled precious metals like gold and platinum, it reduces the global demand for freshly-mined ore and helps to diminish the destructive environmental and social effects of mining. The savings can be substantial, as 20 tons of ore are required to extract enough gold for a single ring. Whenever you sell gold that you no longer need, you are helping to recycle a valuable natural resource.
Precious metals like gold can be recycled over and over again with no loss of quality. Eco friendly engagement rings made from recycled or reclaimed gold are completely identical in quality to expensive engagement rings made from freshly-mined gold.
Packaging
Eco friendly jewelry packaging it is also an important contribution to the environment. Paper packaging can be manufactured from post-consumer recycled material in printed with vegetable-based ink. For a more long-lasting container, eco friendly jewelry boxes can be made from sustainably harvested wood. Rimu wood from New Zealand is beautiful, durable, and harvested in a sustainable manner.
And last but not least, remember your commitment to the environment by choosing an ecofriendly jewelry cleaner to keep your treasures sparkling bright and beautiful for a long time to come.
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