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Green Choices
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As a modern jewelry manufacturer we have choices when it comes to purchasing our raw
materials. Through due diligence and careful selection we have chosen suppliers that
support safe and ethical practices towards their workers and the environment. Backed by
these suppliers we are proud to call ourselves a Green Jewelry Company. We
embrace ethical practices in our materials and how we run our company, from recycling
paper and plastics to purchasing gold from individuals to recycle into new pieces. Being
positioned in the Portland-Metro area, listed as the top Green City in the United States,
Green ideas, concepts and practices surround us.
Below you will find a few ways in which we support the ethical and sustainable practices in
our jewelry manufacturing. THE PROBLEM highlights the issues with particular aspects of
the jewelry business. WHAT WE DO tells you the actions we take to bring about positive
change. Lastly, the MORE INFO link takes you to one or more of the best sites for
educating the public on the problems.
Fair Trade Gems
THE PROBLEM:
The Fair Trade idea was adopted from the coffee trade. For many years large coffee
plantations were able to enslave the local populations, pay them the lowest wages, force
them to work long hours and put them in dangerous environments. Today the movement
against these activities is gaining significant traction.
Fair Trade Gems are tracked from mine to market and a supplier will be able to:
1. Locate where the gem was originally mined.
2. Guarantee the gems are legally mined.
3. Disclose any and all treatments to the gems.
4. Guarantee their partners do not participate in activities such as: supporting
terrorism, harming the environment, smuggling, child labor, slave labor or other
mistreatment of workers.
WHAT WE DO:
NorthWest Jewelers personally mines much of our Sunstone from our own Sunstone claim
in Southeastern Oregon. All of our America’s Collection Gems are stones from personally
known sources, in many cases, a single miner or small mining company. We have
personally visited the mines from which these gems come from.
Our other colored stone suppliers have provided us with statements that there sources
are also Fair Trade. Our main colored stone provider, Columbia Gem House, is a
champion of Fair Trade gemstones and their President and Founder, Eric Braunwart, has
dedicated his life to the expansion of Fair Trade practices and formal regulation of the
colored stone industry.
MORE INFO:
www.fairjewelry.org
www.fairtradegems.com
Conflict Free Diamonds
THE PROBLEM:
The United Nations state conflict diamonds are those that, "originate from areas controlled
by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments".
In plain words, bad people sell diamonds and use the money for bad purposes.
Through films such as Blood Diamond (2006, starring Leonardo DiCaprio) and campaigns
such as Global Witness and Partnership Africa Canada's Kimberley Process Certification
Scheme (kudos to their efforts) much of the population is now aware of the brutal
practices of diamond miners and dealers.
Conflict diamonds today have been reduced to about 1% of the total of all new diamonds
in the marketplace. The vast majority of diamonds come from countries at peace. These
countries have been able to invest the revenue from diamonds into the development of
infrastructure, schools and hospitals for the good of the communities in which diamonds
are found. These countries include Australia, Botswana, Canada, Namibia, Russia, South
Africa and Tanzania.
WHAT WE DO:
All of our diamond suppliers have issued us a statement indicating that all of their
diamonds have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict
regions and are in compliance with the United Nations resolutions.
MORE INFO:
www.diamondfacts.org/conflict/index.html
Clean Gold
THE PROBLEM:
The mining of gold can be very toxic for the environment. Cyanide and heavy metals
have been used by the mining industry for decades, many of which have leached into our
water systems. Today new practices and methods are being developed to reduce this
problem, but there are many old sites that need clean up.
WHAT WE DO:
We have carefully selected our vendors to ensure 99% of our gold is recycled. WE BUY
GOLD from individuals for a reason; recycling gold already out there eliminates the
chances of more hazardous chemicals being released into our environment.
MORE INFO:
www.nodirtygold.org/home.cfm
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Thank you for taking the time
to read through this section of
our website. Only together
can we make the change for a
better environment and lead
to the world to a cleaner and
more sustainable future. The
choices you make today affect
the future for generations.
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We choose vendors based on there practices:
Gold – We use recycled gold and those with good practices.
Gems – We use Fair Trade dealers and independent miners.
Diamonds – We use no-conflict and have trusted vendors.
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2009 Copyright NorthWest Jewelers & Albert & Smith Designs
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Due to the immense details of our online jewelry store, we reserve the right to correct any content errors
that may have gone unnoticed by our development staff and/or proof-readers. This includes, but is not
limited to, typographical errors, product descriptions, style numbers and pricing discrepancies. Every
attempt has been made to provide accurate information.
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