Brilliance Joins “No Dirty Gold” Campaign
(PRWEB) July 29, 2011
Florida-based retailer of certified loose diamonds and fine jewelry, Brilliance.com, has recently joined the ranks of online jewelry titans such as Blue Nile, James Allen and Zales by becoming the latest addition to the to the growing number of jewelers and retailers which support the Golden Rules; a set of social, environmental and human rights criteria pushing for more responsible mining of gold and other precious metals. The Golden Rules is an advocacy of the ?No Dirty Gold? campaign by Earthworks, a nonprofit organization which focuses on the protection of communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible mineral and energy development.
Gold-mining, while a lucrative industry, poses a great risk to the environment, as well as creating serious human rights issues, especially in third-world countries where they are abundant. The ecosystem where a mine is located is severely disrupted by its presence; gold is also traditionally a very dirty metal to mine and process. Toxic chemicals are used to extract it from the earth, which are often dumped into pits and waterways, poisoning the ground and water supply it is left in. The pollution also spreads into the air. Ultimately, gold mining damages the quality of life for organisms around the mine, and the damage is often left behind for the host country?s government to clean up after a mine has been exhausted of its supply.
In Third World countries, gold mining is often couple with grave human rights issues. Dirty gold is mined in very dangerous conditions by workers who have few rights and protections. The land in which a mine is situated is often seized from the indigenous peoples that reside in them, leaving them homeless, with nowhere to go once their native lands are taken from them. Women also suffer; they are rarely recompensed for lost lands since the profits of a mine are given to the wealthy few, usually men.
?We?re really glad to be a part of this (campaign),? says Jonathon from Brilliance. ?We?re always looking for new ways to contribute to society. It?s the right thing to do.?
?An engagement ring,? he continues, ?symbolizes a future couples? hopes and dreams. It?s something you build a relationship on. It?s our gift to our customers and we want to give them something beautiful and pure that they can cherish for a lifetime, not something that they?ll feel guilty about.?
?We would like to encourage other retailers to join the (No Dirty Gold) campaign as soon as possible,? added Jonathon. ?Consumers can also show their support by patronizing businesses which sell ethical and environmentally-conscious jewelry.?
A product of the combined efforts of two organizations, the Mineral Policy Center and the Oil & Gas Accountability Project, the Earthworks organization also seeks to reform government policies, improve corporate practices, influence investment decisions and encourage responsible materials sourcing and consumption through nationwide campaigns such as No Dirty Energy, Recycle My Cell Phone, Save Bristol Bay and Mining Reform Campaign. The Earthworks official website is http://www.earthworksaction.org/home.cfm.
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