Why eco jewelry?
Bristol Bay, Alaska - A perfect eco system for salmon that is constantly under threat to mineral development (Credit: Earthworks)
There is a dirty little secret surrounding our favorite accessory. A secret so disturbing, it is guaranteed to change the way you look at your jewels forever. It is a truth that, now exposed, is beginning to turn the entire jewelry industry on its end; and one over which the National Mining Association filed a lawsuit against its own government just to keep it hidden.
Cyanide is used to separate gold from other metals. It is lethal to humans and living creatures.
What is so horrifying that some organizations would do almost anything to hide it from the public? Well, here are just a few tragic highlights of the mining and gemstone industry to date:
• Mining is the #1 toxic polluter in the United States
• It takes over 70,000 acres of trees per year to offset the average mine’s carbon emissions
• The average gold mine exposes 1,760 tonnes of cyanide to both land and water each year
The Colorado River after Acid Mine Drainage, leaving it forever undrinkable.
• The average gold mine uses enough water to satisfy the needs of a major U.S. city for a year
• Mining consumes 7-10% of global energy from dirty fossil fuels
• One mine can destroy native lands and the livelihood of indigenous people for a lifetime
• In the U.S., miners pay only $5 for public land use and pay 0% in royalties to the public, despite annual incomes of over $2 billion
• Abandoned U.S. mines have resulted in $32-72 billion in mine cleanup for the American taxpayer
Bingham Canyon mine is a mere shadow, a grave, of the lush greens that once were.
So what are we doing about it?
For starters, the majority of the silver and gold in Green Diva eco jewelry is 100% recycled. That means we bypass all new mining and work instead with post consumer metals found in goods such as silverware, xray and photographic film and even old jewelry. Next, we source all of our gemstones and pearls only from those suppliers, miners and cutting workshops that practice fair trade and abide by environmental standards. In other words, people along the supply chain are respected, not exploited, and the land is restored to pre-mining conditions when work is complete. To learn more about the ways that Green Diva contributes to a positive supply chain to avoid environmental and social destruction, go here.
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