An increasing number of couples are keen to make their weddings as green as the rest of their lives, and are opting for ethical choices such as second-hand wedding dresses, organic food and invites printed on recycled card. But one less obvious item that can make a big difference in raising the green credentials of the day is the wedding rings. With demand for ‘bling’ on the high street and in boutique jewellers rising, thanks to the influence of rap musicians, suppliers are using unethical means to source gold and gems. If you’re getting married to your loved one, you want your wedding rings to embody love, not have the blood of a diamond miner on your conscience – and your hand. This guide will show you why it’s so important to choose green wedding rings.
Wedding Rings: Ethical Gold
Making sure your wedding rings are made from ethical gold – or even a different material like platinum – is vital for the green wedding. Gold mining is one of the world’s most polluting industries, and one of the least ethical in terms of human rights. At the Aktedi mine in Papua New Guinea, 120 thousand tons of contaminated waste is dumped into the Fly River every day. That’s more than the combined waste production of Japan, Australia and Canada. Human Rights Watch recently published a report claiming that major mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo were complicit in human rights abuses including murder, torture, rape and forced labour. Gold mining displaces indigenous people from their lands, cause massive-scale environmental pollution, political corruption and the destruction of beautiful nature sites. When you exchange your gold wedding rings on your special day, could you really say that you would be happy to have endorsed the actions of the gold mining industry by choosing non-ethical gold? Of course not.Wedding Rings: Ethical Alternatives
If you have your hearts set on gold wedding rings, then don’t despair. There are many alternatives for you to choose from. Here are just some ideas to consider:- Find a jeweller who makes gold wedding rings solely from ethical materials. They will know exactly where their supply of gold comes from, and be able to vouch that it is not ‘dirty gold’. You may find it difficult to find a jeweller like this – because gold is smelted together to create jewellery it can often come from different sources, and wedding rings could end up being of a combination of fair trade and dirty godl.
- A safer option is to seek out a jeweller who makes wedding rings from recycled gold. This way you are not endorsing the practices of the modern gold mining industry, and are using resources already available. Don’t imagine that these wedding rings will be unstylish – they will look just like any other gold ring, and you can have them designed to your tastes with a plain finish or set with gems.
- Another truly ethical option is to shop in antique stores for second-hand rings that will have a vintage feel. If you have already found yourself a vintage wedding dress, this solution is perfect so you can continue the theme. This could also be your ‘something old’ item if you follow tradition.