Jewelery for me is a passion. Anyone who knows me will tell you it is not a secret I have a growing collection of them. But I’m not entirely ignorant because amidst my passion, I also appreciate that the jewelery industry is no saint. I know how it has contributed significantly to the many irreversible damages forced onto the environment. I balance the two seemingly conflicting passions by only buying and subscribing to sustainable jewelery.
Believe me, regardless of how beautiful the artwork of the jewelery you will never feel at peace to wear it if you knew how it came at the expense of nature and the lives surrounding it – which brings me to the No Dirty Gold Campaign.
Jewelery isn’t always just a passion. Some pieces such as a wedding band or your great-grandmother’s pendant are symbolic of the intangibles and hence deemed to be priceless. But whilst the ring as a symbol itself may indeed be priceless, the gold that was used to form it certainly is not. It comes as no surprise that all things good in life must come with a price and I assure you gold comes with-a heavy one.
Gold is a metal that costs the planet and her peoples far more than it is really worth because without a doubt, gold mining is one of the world’s dirtiest industries. It employs the use of cyanide and generates heaps of wastes which leaves a lasting impression (sadly this impression is not one to be proud of because it is a deadly one) on earth and her children.
Gold mines have long been known to mercilessly cause the lost of homes (especially of the indigenous people whose rights are often surpressed) , traditional livelihoods and damaged eco-systems. The fact that 80 percent of all gold is used to make jewelry and soaring market prices for the commodity helps their cause even less.
The No Dirty Gold campaign of Earthworks exists to support the rights of indigenous communities to determine their own futures instead of leaving them at the mercy of ruthless profit hungry corporations as well as make that much required stand for protecting the planet. It defines gold that was not obtained in line with the criteria of the Golden Rules as Dirty Gold.
Dirty Gold is something we all want to avoid because of the widespread reach of its impact. In summary, Dirty Gold’s Impacts:
- Air
- Communities
- Economic Impacts
- Human Rights
- Indigenous Peoples
- Natural Areas
- Solid Waste
- Water
- Women
- Worker Rights
- Worker Safety
So if you’re going for gold, support the No Dirty Gold campaign to end destructive gold mining practices by signing the pledge. Be aware that all that glitters is not gold but it could very well be Dirty Gold – the last thing you ever want to bring home!
This is something that needs addressing, especially by the gold wearing public. As was stated, the jewelry might be beautiful, but you need to have a notion of how it came to be, as well. Diamonds are also in this category.