Listen to the podcast.

Green Gold

THE MINING OF PRECIOUS METALS HAS GAINED A REPUTATION AS BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY DAMAGING, BUT NEW STANDARDS ARE HELPING GOLD BECOME GREENER.  LEARN MORE ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

BY CERTIFYING RESPONSIBLY-PRODUCED GOLD FROM SMALL-SCALE MINERS, THE ASSOCIATION FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING IS BOTH ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND HELPING IMPOVERISHED MINERS TAP INTO THE EMERGING GLOBAL FAIR-TRADE MARKET.

GREG VALERIO IS THE FOUNDER OF CRED JEWELLERY, A U-K BASED BRAND THAT SELLS PRODUCTS MADE FROM THE CERTIFIED GOLD.  HE SAYS THAT NOT ONLY IS THE METAL EXTRACTED WITHOUT CHEMICALS – PREMIUMS PAID ON IT ARE REINVESTED IN THE MINERS’ COMMUNITIES.

VALERIO: AND THAT’S WHAT I BELIEVE LUXURY JEWELRY SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT.  IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BLING-BLING ON YOUR FINGER.  IT’S ALSO ABOUT THE LUXURY LEGACY THAT IT LEAVES BEHIND IT.

LEARN MORE AT COMMUNITY MINING DOT ORG.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more from the Association for Responsible Mining.

Read more about the Green Gold initiative.

Like today's EnvironMinute podcast?  Bookmark this page on del.icio.us