Can jewelry ever be classified as organic?

The short answer, in my opinion , is no. We are not talking about organic design, or ethnic indigenous design - We are talking about how a craters such as goldsmiths or silversmiths damage the planet. The processes that most goldsmiths follow all have an impact on the environment. From the acids that are used to the waste that is generated in a jewellery workshop. Most smaller manufacturing jewellers have a very small impact. The larger production houses cause more damage.

The biggest problem is not the manufacturers, but the miners. Extracting gold from the earth is a planet killer. From effects on agriculture, damage to plants and rivers to the deforestation of virgin forests.

So it is not the jewellers, but the miners, refiners and and supply chain that does most of the damage.

Fact: There are 79 tons of waste for every gram of gold mined!

Gone are the days when miners panned for gold, looking for nuggets, or digging rich veins with a pick. Most of these sources of gold dried up many years ago. What happened in Queenstown, Australia is a perfect example of what damage ing can do - Mountainous rain forests and abundant waterways have been transformed into a treeless desert covered with toxic silt and poisoned soils.

Fact: 97% of metal mining is open pit mining!

Today's mining is about blasting and chemicals. Gold is found in very low concentrations. This means that to extract it the miners need to blast huge amounts of earth and the crush it to a fine powder. Water is then added to form a slurry. Then comes the real planet killer. Cyanide is then used to dissolve the gold from the mix. Can you imagine the damage to the ground water and surrounding environment. Don't forget about mercury, selenium and lead - all used in the process. The slurry is treated with this poisonous chemical mix tons of it, every day, year in and year out.

Fact: Cyanide the size of a grain of rice will kill a human. One millionth of a gram per liter of water will kill fish!

In other forms of mining timber is used in the mines  - vast quantities. The introduction of alien and exotic species of trees to countries involved in mining has had a massive impact on the indigenous species. Cheap, fast growing timber is essential.

Fact: Mining causes 96% of arsenic emissions!

This mining does not include all the other metals used in jewellery - namely platinum, palladium, silver, copper, cadmium, titanium. Jewellery workshops leach heavy metals into the water system - most workshops run their waste directly back into the public drainage system.

So what can you do?

Using you old gold to remodel your jewellery will go a very long way to saving the planet. If every person reused the gold lying in their jewellery boxes. Try and buy old gold and remaodel rather than buying new gold. Sell your old gold if you are not using it - many jewellers will take in old gold and turn it into a new piece of jewellery for you - or for another customer.

It is such a pity that a craft that goes back thousands of years such as goldsmithing has such an effect on the environment. Help save the planet - ask your goldsmith to use old gold. Buy organic foods that use farming methods that don't damage the planet.

 

Wayne 2010