Diss the Dirty Diamonds
By Matthew Jahn
Gold and diamond mining are among the most destructive mining industries - wreaking havoc on the environment, poisoning the local water supply, and displacing indigenous communities. You can reject this model by buying jewelry from fair trade and green jewelers. No jewelry mining and production can be 100% without impact, but fair trade and green companies dramatically minimize and mitigate their impact, making it lighter on the planet and the people.
One such company, Brilliant Earth, offers Canadian diamonds from the Ekati and the Diavik mine. Canadian diamonds are mined according to Canada's strict environmental laws - which are among the most rigorous in the world. These high standards protect caribou and other wildlife, water, and fish habitats. Canadian mines have demonstrated a strong commitment to the local Aboriginal people. The Diavik and the Ekati mine are both independently monitored to be ISO 14000 compliant.
Wherever possible, Brilliant Earth uses precious metals from renewed sources derived from recycled jewelry or industrial products. The precious metals are reclaimed and then re-refined to produce gold and platinum of identical quality to newly mined metals. By using renewed metals, their goal is to reduce the need for additional dirty gold mining.
Brilliant Earth also supports the goals of the No Dirty Gold campaign: www.nodirtygold.org
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