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What is Dirty Gold?
A gift of gold often symbolizes love, commitment, romance, and friendship. Yet, gold mining is one of the most destructive activities in the world, and has been linked to grievous environmental, social justice, and human rights violations. The severity of the environmental and social problems associated with gold production has generated an interest in finding alternatives to gold produced using harmful practices. This interest comes not only from environmental, human rights and social justice groups, but also from jewelry retail firms, electronics producers, and individual consumers.
Over 10,000 individuals from countries around the world have already signed the No Dirty Gold pledge asking retailers to work to ensure that the gold in their products was not produced at the expense of local communities, workers, and the environment. These conscious consumers don't want their glittering purchases to be tarnished by gold mining that pollutes water, destroys communities, fuels conflicts, or threatens wildlife and natural areas. They are calling on jewelry and electronics retailers such as you to insist that the gold you are buying and selling is responsibly produced.
You can learn more about the destructive impacts of gold mining by reading the report Dirty Metals: Mining, Communities, and the Environment and reading profiles of communities around the world affected by gold mining operations.
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