Published June 2, 2008
by iris_author
Even when buying jewellery, it is prudent to make the most eco-friendly choices. Most metal mining has a devastating impact on the environment, when there is plenty already mined (old jewelry) to satisfy industry demand:
- Shop at antique stores, estate sales, yard sales, and specialty shops for used jewelry that can be polished to look new
- Ask for diamonds mined in Canada where human rights of miners are protected and diamonds mines under stricter environmental laws
- Choose gems that meet Kimberley Process Certification www.kimberlyprocess.com
- Consider alternatives to diamonds, i.e. moissanite
- Buy jewelry at crafts fairs from artisans who work with locally available materials
(some info thanks to D. MacEachern, author of the Big Green Purse)
Posted in: Blogs | Shopping the Talk
A couple of other suggestions – consider looking into jewelery companies corporate social responsibility platforms and ask them about clean gold and clean diamonds; the more people speak out, the more market pressure there is to make changes.
While Tiffany’s and Birk’s are ahead of the pack, I would encourage others to look at Brilliant Earth (www.brilliantearth.com) – a San Francisco based company who’s trying to ensure “green jewelery” has a place.