Countdown to a green Valentine’s Day - Day 2

Posted by A. Caleb Hartley on February 12th, 2008 filed in jewelry

Okay, everybody.  Today is two days before Valentine’s Day, and if you haven’t bought a gift for your Valentine yet it might be too late.  So today, we’ll discuss the one thing that might make it up to her - jewelry!

Were you aware that gold and silver are mined?  From the ground?  Personally, I thought that gold and silver were only found in two places: bank vaults and (my favorite) Pirate Chests.  But, seriously, I did research - it comes from out of the ground.  What will they think of next?

Now that you’ve gotten over the shock of the above revelation, let me tell you more about mining.  Gold and silver mining creates many environmental problems, including polluting water supplies local to the mine with chemicals such as arsenic, cyanide, and sulfuric acid.  Mining can also increase erosion in a mine’s local area.  Some mines actually blow the tops off of mountains to get to the ore.  Talk about erosion!

So some people and companies have begin to look for ways to reduce the impact of jewelry on the environment - like the ones below, which use recycled gold, silver, platinum, and more:

• GreenKarat
• Leber Jeweler - Earthwise Jewelry
• eLemantal Silver
• Naturals of Ashland

Some of the above also offer conflict-free diamonds as well.  Additionally, one of the most environmentally friendly ways you can surprise your valentine with jewelry this year is to look at antique stores to find the right accoutrement with, possibly, an interesting history as well!

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

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Did you know that, for a blog, the jewelry is the comments? Deck out environmentastic! with some bling - and this is the only time it’s acceptable not to recycle… original comments only!

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