Tiffany & Co., Target and Helzberg Diamonds have committed to more sustainable gold and metals mining.
They have joined more than 100 retailers for Valentine’s Day, who have committed to more responsible metals sourcing by signing the No Dirty Gold campaign’s Golden Rules. Valentine’s Day is one of the largest jewelry purchasing holidays of the year in the United States. Nearly 20 percent of Valentine’s gift givers will buy jewelry, spending more than $4 billion according to National Jeweler.
The Golden Rules are based on broadly accepted international human rights laws and basic principles of sustainable development, including respect for workers’ rights and protection of ecologically sensitive areas.
Producing a single gold ring creates more than 20 tons of mine waste. EPA data show that metal mining is the largest toxic polluter in the US, according to the No Dirty Gold Campaign.
Around the world, mining has been linked to human rights abuses, perpetual water pollution, destroyed wildlands, and long-term health impacts, the group says.