Dear Bride,
Here's everything you wanted to know about gold mining but were afraid to ask...because you'd rather focus on living happily, and I don't blame you. I'm not going to rain on your wedding, so let me assure you that it is possible to celebrate your commitment to your partner without cheating on the planet.
First, I'll warn you the story about gold isn't pretty and it's certainly not romantic (so skip to the happy ending of this column if you prefer). Mining, and gold mining in particular, is one of the world's most destructive industries -- environmentally, socially and economically. It destroys pristine landscapes, contaminates soil and drinking water, endangers the health of humans and animals, displaces indigenous communities and has a track record of human rights abuses.
Gold is most commonly extracted through open pit mining. The pit is created when the top layer of earth and rock are blasted away to reveal the ore. The pit is dug deeper as each layer of ore is removed, eventually creating an immense crater. The largest-Bingham Canyon in Utah-is a monstrous two and a half miles wide and a mile deep.
A cyanide solution is then used to leach gold from ore. Tailings, or mine waste, which contain lethal quantities of cyanide and other byproducts like mercury and heavy metals, are frequently stored in dammed-up reservoirs which can leak or burst, devastating the local water resource. Some mines regularly dispose of toxic waste in rivers, lakes, and even oceans. Here at home, many Colorado waterways suffer from toxic metal contamination due to abandoned mines from the 19th and early 20th century.
About half of the gold produced between 1995 and 2015 will most likely come from lands occupied by indigenous peoples. Often they lack legal title to the property, so the land may be taken with little or no compensation. In some countries, police or military have forcibly evicted indigenous communities to make way for gold mining.
So that's the gist of the bad news, but before you resort to tattoo rings or matching hemp necklaces, let me give you the good news: In 2004 Earthworks and Oxfam joined forces to launch the "No Dirty Gold" campaign to get the industry to avoid mining in protected areas, stop dumping in natural bodies of water, fully fund mine cleanup, provide safe working conditions, respect indigenous peoples' rights, and confirm that mining companies' practices are sustainable. You can make simple choices to support these goals by doing the following:
1) Sign the No Dirty Gold pledge at nodirtygold.org.
2) When you go shopping for jewelry ask the salesperson where the gold comes from to raise awareness among retailers and to up pressure on their suppliers.
3) Create a ring by having jewelry you no longer wear refashioned into something new and tell your jeweler why.
4) Buy jewelry made from recycled gold. Greenkarat.com is an online source for recycled metals and environmentally-friendly precious stones.
5) Buy vintage gold items.
6) If any of your money is invested with gold mining companies, see if you can exert your shareholder power to lobby for change. If not, pull your money out and tell them why.
Organizers of the campaign emphasize that change will only happen when we as consumers demand it (hmm...have I said that before?).
So congratulations, bride, and I hope this helps you say "I do" to your partner and planet.
