Tips for Zero Waste Jewelry
Today’s post is a guest piece from Metalicious, an environmentally-friendly and sustainability-focused jewelry company founded by Stephanie Maslow-Blackman
Much of our jewelry is made from metals as well as gemstones, and the process to extract these materials from the earth can wreak havoc on the environment and produce an exorbitant amount of waste. In order to reach these precious materials, tons of water is used to break up the rocks encasing them. According to Circleofblue.org 1, “Large-scale surface gold mines can use between 60,000 and 100,000 cubic meters (16 million and 26 million gallons) of water each day”. Not only does this waste a precious resource, but there is an added risk that the wastewater will carry pollutants into soil and nearby bodies of water, as well as cause erosion. Overall, mining processes have the potential to destroy natural environments, displace wildlife, waste a ton of water, and pollute the ecosystem. Take just a single example: back in 2018 in the Peruvian Amazon alone, over 20,000 acres of forestry was destroyed to make way for gold mines. 2
Now not all mining practices will pose these exact risks, but as consumers we only see the end product and are detached from the process it takes to create these pieces. So it can be extremely difficult for us to trace the origins of our gemstones and metals, which makes it hard to know what types of practices were used to mine these materials. Even so, all mining practices produce some amount of waste, so in order to have your jewelry be zero waste you have to avoid the mining process altogether.
So, what now? Do we have to give up buying jewelry? Well I am happy to say that the answer is: no, there are still alternatives that make for zero-waste jewelry.
Sustainable Metals
Let’s start with the metals in our jewelry. The best thing you can do is purchase jewelry that is secondhand, or has been made entirely from recycled metals. These are metals that were originally mined for something else, whether that be for other jewelry or even electronics. Instead of throwing these metals away, they are melted down and given new life as a piece of zero-waste jewelry. This completely circumvents the mining process, so you don’t have to worry about the waste and the environmental impact it could cause. Some places will even take your jewelry you no longer want and recycle the metals into a new piece for you!
Gemstones Alternatives
And then there are gemstones. Once again, we want to circumvent the mining process and use an alternative method. Gemstones you already own can be recycled, but since they are already cut it is a lot less straightforward than recycling metal since it’s shape is already pretty set in stone (literally). It is the best alternative in terms of being zero-waste, but not always the most practical.
Another alternative is lab grown gemstones. They are exactly the same in their chemical and physical structure compared to their mined counterparts, but they have fewer imperfections, are potentially cheaper, and instead of taking hundreds of years to form the gemstone it only takes months. Think of it kind of like growing something in a greenhouse. The plant is the same, it is just grown in an artificial environment rather than in the earth. The best part about lab-grown gemstones is that they have a much lower impact on the environment. Compared to mined diamonds, synthetic diamonds use 86% less water, 50% less energy, and produce 95% less carbon emissions. 3
1 Source : Circle of Blue
2 Source : CNN World
3 Source : Aide-memoire
So where can you find a company that uses recycled metals and lab grown gemstones? Check out the company Metalicious. We only use ethically sourced gemstones, including lab-grown stones, and recycled metal in our jewelry. We specialize in eco-friendly engagement rings but have a ton of options for every jewelry lover!
What places do you like to shop for zero-waste jewelry? Do you have much luck thrifting for jewelry? Let me know in the comments!
FEATURE POSTS
These areas, characterized by waterlogged soil and aquatic vegetation, are not just habitats for diverse wildlife, but they also provide a range of benefits to both the local community and the planet as a whole. From protecting against natural disasters to mitigating the effects of climate change, wetlands are vital to our survival.