Inhabitat: Wedding rings are traditional. Even the staunchest non-traditionalists have wedding rings. For some they are a status symbol, but for an environmentalist, eco-friendly wedding rings can show commitment to sustainability, protection of the environment, fair trade and conservation of the earth’s resources. The ring you choose for yourself and your fiance says a lot about you. Women are getting raped, kids are getting their hands hacked off, and people are getting killed all over the diamond trade in war-torn African nations like Sierra Leone, Angola and Congo. Without getting into too much depth about the moral issues and gritty details of it all, watch Blood Diamond and you’ll get the glimpse of why it’s important to buy your rings responsibly.
For both women and men’s rings, you’ll want to look for conflict-free diamonds and gems, and recycled metals. And while diamonds are a girl’s best friend, not every girl wants a diamond, and there are many gemstones out there that are just as beautiful and not as tainted. Cultured diamonds and gemstones are the most ecologically friendly gems, since they are not mined out of the earth, but grown in a lab. They are also significantly less expensive than geologically-grown gems, which has definite appeal in today’s economy.
Inhabitat Green Wedding Series: Eco Wedding Rings [Inhabitat]
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