Whole Life Times: The Real Expense of Gold

March 2005 | Co-op America’s Living Green

The Real Expense of Gold

Dear Co-op America, Is gold jewelry an environmentally and socially responsible purchase? — Concerned in Washington, DC

All mineral mining is energy-intensive and polluting, but the environmental impacts of gold mining are particularly severe. Gold mining requires moving massive amounts of earth; the Worldwatch Institute estimates about 300,000 tons of waste is generated for every ton of marketable gold, or “roughly three tons of waste per gold wedding ring.”

This waste is not only environmentally disruptive to ecosystems, but also contains toxic and polluting substances. Cyanide, used to leach gold from ore, contaminates the surrounding environment. The leaching process can also release toxic heavy metals contained in the rock—such as arsenic and mercury—into the water, soil and air.

Workers and communities suffer from gold mining too. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), “the toll of death, injury and disease among the world’s mineworkers means that, in most countries, mining remains the most hazardous occupation when the number of people exposed to risk is taken into account.”

Communities affected by gold mining often receive little consideration when a country grants mining leases. Governments eager to attract mining companies often subsidize mining operations and make laws favorable to companies; changes include allowing 100-percent foreign ownership of mines and letting companies repatriate all profits. The mining jobs won’t necessarily even go to local residents, since mining companies require skilled labor and may bring in trained workers from elsewhere.

Local residents may also lose their homes to a mining operation. Many indigenous groups and developing world communities lack legal title to the lands where they have lived for generations. When the government grants leases to such lands, residents face eviction, often with little or no compensation. A country’s police or armed forces may forcibly evict residents and perpetrate other human rights abuses to quell community opposition.

Earthworks and Oxfam America have launched a “No Dirty Gold” campaign (www.nodirtygold.org) to address some of the detrimental effects of gold mining. Rather than calling for a boycott, the campaign asks consumers to tell gold retailers that they’d like an ethical gold alternative.

Before buying gold jewelry, ask yourself if you really need it. See if you can borrow gold items, or check secondhand shops and eBay. Jewelers can alter or melt down and rework gold items you don’t wear. Or, try new jewelry made out of recycled gold—green Karat (800.330.4605, www.greenkarat.com) offers jewelry made from recycled 14K and 18K gold.

Dear Co-op America, I have a green tip to share. When planning an event where you need nametags, avoid single-use tags. Instead, write guests’ names on wooden clothespins with a marker. Clothespins go easy on fabrics, and many guests enjoy taking them home to re-use. — Roberta Beach Jacobson, Karpathos Island, Greece

Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a national nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, call 800-58-GREEN, www.coopamerica.org . E-mail your Living Green questions.

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