Eco-Friendly Jewelry

More and more people are getting the message that the choices they make in their daily lives can have a real impact on the Earth. This has led to the “green” movement moving from the fringes of society into the mainstream of America. One of the many areas in which you can make more environmentally sound choices is your jewelry purchases.

The trend of eco-friendly jewelry is especially strong with couples planning green weddings. The symbolism of bridal jewelry as the start of a shared life is the perfect opportunity for couples to commit to a lifestyle that leaves a smaller footprint on the planet. It is not just brides and grooms getting into the act, however; eco-jewelry is so widely sought after that even Martha Stewart did a feature on it!

The main concerns about conventional jewelry have been the environmental and human/societal impacts. The movie “Blood Diamond” is one of the better known examples documenting the human costs of conflict diamonds. The damage done to the environment by mining (particularly gold) is another area in which groups have pushed for change.

Consider substituting silver jewelry for gold. While silver is also mined much of the silver produced is a result of recycling of materials ranging from photographic film to reclaiming silver compounds used in many industrial processes.

Another source of silver is reprocessing the slime(slag) or waste from producing other industrial base products such as zinc and lead.While silver is not 100 % green,its use is much greener than gold. Sterling silver bridal jewelry is beautiful,costs less than gold and makes less of impact on the environment.

If you love jewelry, and are reading this, do not despair! There are choices you can make to enjoy beautiful jewelry without the guilt. Many resources are now available to help guide you to ethical jewelers. A great place to start is at the website for the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices. http://www.responsiblejewellery.com/ This organization provides a list of suppliers and jewelers who have agreed to abide by a set of moral and environmental guidelines, and it includes a lot of the biggest names like Cartier and Tiffany and Co. Also check out http://greenlivingideas.com/holidays/green-gifting-guide-eco-jewelry.html for a good overview on green jewelry, as well as links to helpful information and watchdog sites.

The buzzwords in eco-jewelry are conflict-free diamonds, fair trade gems, and recycled gold. Although “blood diamonds” have received a lot of press, finding a conflict-free one is not as difficult as you may expect. The fact is that thanks to the Kimberley Process (see http://www.kimberleyprocess.com/ for specifics on this international certification group), less than one percent of diamonds sold today are believed to be from conflict regions. That means that every reputable jeweler should have only non-conflict stones (ask to see their written policy on conflict-free diamonds to be certain).

For those seeking more assurance when shopping for that diamond ring, another option is Canadian diamonds. They are mined in Canada, and come with a provenance report that tracks each individual diamond from the mine all the way to your ring finger. Be prepared to pay a premium for this. There is some controversy about whether it is really better to avoid African diamonds altogether or not. That is because for the over 99% of them that come from legitimate mines, the diamond industry may be one of the few sources of income in a developing country.

There are many ways to avoid diamonds and still have stunning jewelry. See why Swarovski crystal jewelry is so popular forsome ideas. Swarovski crystals are man made so they avoid some of the enviromental concerns that we have discussed.

Swarovski crystal wedding jewelry provides for a way to have stunning wedding jewelry that is handmade and custom jewelry that matches the weddingcolors but at a price that is below anything normally expected.

See why Swarovski crystals are so popular.

The trade of other gems is not yet as tightly controlled as that of diamonds. Many consumers choose another stone, say a sapphire, over a diamond because colored gemstones have not suffered as much bad press as diamonds. They may not be funding grisly warfare, but the mining of colored stones is not always the most environmentally friendly process, nor are conditions always optimal for the miners. There are some jewelers and suppliers that promise “fair trade” gems that have been mined, polished, and transferred following strict protocols

Technically, there is not yet an official fair trade certification available for jewelry like there is for coffee or chocolate, so the key is to find a gem dealer or jeweler who has implemented their own fair trade practices. (You can find them on the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices link.)

Other than diamonds, the area of most concern is gold. The greenest option is to choose jewelry made from recycled precious materials. The gold is sourced from old jewelry, and reclaimed (separated from alloys) in an environmentally sound procedure. This eliminates any worries about the damage that gold mining can inflict on a region.

Renewed gold is more readily available that in the past, but jewelers who use it are still in the minority. A less green, but easier, option is to work with a jewelry store which has pledged to follow the “Golden Rules” put forth by No Dirty Gold. The members of this group promise to source their gold from mines which are not located in conflict areas, respect workers' rights, avoid mining in conservation areas, and do not pollute the environment by dumping toxic by-products. Quite a few national jewelers from across the spectrum have joined this organization, from Van Cleef & Arpels down to Wal Mart; for a complete list, see http://www.nodirtygold.org/supporting_retailers.cfm.

Jewelry has held special significance in almost every culture throughout history. Because of its' beauty and sentimental value, it always will. People are not going to give up buying jewelry no matter how much bad press certain aspects of the industry may receive. Nor should they; the good news is that new eco-friendly options have become available as the jewelry industry has responded to the public's environmental concerns. For those trying to be thoughtful about the impact of their actions on the Earth and its' peoples, choosing to buy eco-jewelry is now just another piece of living a greener lifestyle.