By Marisa Belger
TODAYShow.com
Alkemie Jewelry on the front page of msnbc.com.
Mon., June. 2, 2008
From blood diamonds to dirty gold it’s tougher than ever to adorn yourself with a piece of guilt-free jewelry. A diamond ring may give you immeasurable joy each time you slip it on, but the sparkle often comes with a price that outweighs its actual cost.
A girl’s best friend is often mined in places like Angola and Sierra Leone where the gems are used to fund rebel groups that refuse to work towards peace and security. And in third world countries diamonds — and other precious stones — are usually mined in riverbeds, which can wreak environmental havoc by upsetting the ecology of the body of water and the surrounding areas.
Thinking that you’ll skip the diamonds and go gold? Buying plain gold jewelry may seem like a good idea, but unless you know where it originated and how it was mined, the choice is not an environmental win. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, hard rock gold mining (where gold is extracted from tons of rock) generates more toxic waste than any other industry in the United States.
As the ugly truth behind conventional jewelry continues to emerge, a growing group of eco-minded designers are making it possible for you to accessorize with a clear conscience. Here are some of my favorite picks:
Every piece of Alkemie Jewelry is made from reclaimed materials. Transforming something that already exists into something new is one of the most environmentally-wise methods of designing. Husband-and-wife team Dara Gerson and Ashley Lowengrub have translated this knowledge into a striking line of cuffs (think octopi, hummingbirds, bats and owls), bangles, necklaces and rings (see photo of Hummingbird cuff above).
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