Woo hoo! It's Earth Day 2021. I have such good memories of this holiday growing up. Part of my elementary and middle school years were spent in Virginia Beach, Va. Every year my school would go to the beach and pick up trash. We would have a contest on who could find the wierdest thing and I remember finding a big fisherman's boot. (I need to look for that picture!)
As a jeweler, I try to do my best to recycle and reuse. Here are the things I do to celebrate Earth Day everyday.
1) Recycle my silver scraps - Making sterling jewelry produces a lot of scrap.
I send mine in to Rio Grande supply company to be recycle
2) Give a credit to anyone who brings me a bag from a previous purchase.
I wrap all of my purchases in pretty tissue and place in an organza bag. When those customers come to a market or show and bring back their bag to be reused, they get a credit on the next purchase!
3) Walk to the post office.
This is a little thing, but I am lucky enough to live in a small town and when I need to ship I get a little exercise!
4) Reuse shipping material.
I reuse any clean packaging to ship my products.
5) Use ethically sourced non-conflict materials as much as possible.
When I first started creating jewelry no one thought twice about this, so I still have a supply of beads and pearls which I have no information about. Now whenever I can I ask about the where the stones are mined and the pearls are harvested and if the workers are given a living wage. Going to the Tucson Gem Show enables me to actually meet the miners and pearl farmers!
6) Prioritize local events to save carbon emissions and support the community.
This is really important to me. Save gas and save the earth. Support your local artisans and you help everybody.
Happy Earth Day!!!