Choosing the perfect wedding band can be difficult. After all, you’ll be wearing the ring for the rest of your life! Wedding bands made from recycled or reclaimed gold are not only beautiful and unique, they are also a choice you can feel good about!
Why Choose Recycled Gold?
Mining can be one of the most ecologically destructive activities on the planet, and sadly, gold mining is among the most destructive types of mining. Gold mining produces massive amounts of solid waste – as much as 18 tons of waste for every gold ring produced – and frequently employs a process called heap leaching, which uses a toxic cyanide solution to remove the gold from a pile of ore. The toxic waste this produces is dumped in enormous piles, some as high as a thirty story building.
Gold mining also frequently pollutes nearby surface and groundwater thanks to leaching of cyanide and heavy metals. Mine tailings, a form of semi-solid waste, are aother source of water pollution. Tailings are often stored in dammed reservoirs, which have been known to leak or burst through their dams. In 1994, a broken dam in Guyana leaked 3 billion liters of cyanide-contaminated tailings from a nearby gold mine into the Omai River, destroying all aquatic life. Other mining companies have legally or illegally dumped tailings in rivers, lakes, or oceans.
Many gold mines also have a record of human rights abuses, including land expropriation and unsafe working conditions.
Purchasing reclaimed and recycled gold jewelry drives down the demand for new gold, and spreads out the environmental and social impacts of gold that has already been extracted. In may cases, purchasing recycled gold rings also supports local and independent artisans.
Show Your Commitment to Each Other and the Earth With These Beautiful Recycled Gold Wedding Bands
Support human rights and the environment by purchasing recycled gold wedding rings. These are just five of the hundreds of gorgeous styles available from both famous designers and independent artisans:
Heart of Gold Ring
Heart of Gold Rings from 2TrickPony are made from 100% recycled 14K gold and sterling silver and feature a charming golden heart married to a sterling silver twisted ring band. 2TrickPony’s commitment to eco-friendly jewelry extends beyond her choice of materials: all her jewelry is forged in an off-the-grid, solar powered studio on the north coast of California!
Simple Bloom Ring
The Simple Bloom Ring from kyleannemetals combines recycled 14K gold and sterling silver in a simple, yet elegant design that looks beautiful aloe or stacked.
Ivy Wedding Band
In Victorian times, a bouquet of ivy meant marriage, affection, and fidelity. The Ivy Wedding Band from iacua demonstrates your love and commitment to each other in 100% recycled 14K gold.
White Gold Wedding Rings
The White Gold Wedding Ring from seababejewelry pairs hand-forged recycled 18K palladium white gold with a simple yet classic design for a wedding band of exceptional elegance and beauty. It is also available in nickel white, and comes with a choice of smooth, hammered, or rough surfaces.
Nascent Double Stacking Ring
The Nascent double stacking ring from eco-friendly designer TiffanyKunz is hand-forged from reclaimed white, yellow, or rose 14K gold. The slender, hammered style of the ring gives it an earthy, natural look that will appeal to many eco-minded couples.
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Main Image Source: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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