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February, 2009
Vol. 2: No. 1
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Green Jewelry News
Greetings!

Many thanks to all of you who have shown your support and interest in learning about how to make your jewelry more sustainably. This issue calls on everyone to do their part to help move the jewelry industry forward sustainably and responsibly.

Read on and you will find simple steps you can take today to make a difference. Small changes made over the long run by a large number of people make a big difference. 

Thank you for your committment to doing your part to make the world a better place.

Christine Dhein
Green Jewelry Educator



Obama's Call to Action
Each of Us Must Make a Commitment to Change

obama President Obama's inaugural message was a call to service and action. "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility," he said. "A recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."

What are you responsible for? Let's start with the common responsibilities we share as jewelers; ethical and environmentally friendly practices in the studio, life and business. I argue that many green practices are not difficult. Instead, they are tasks that require analysis and awareness of daily habits along with research in order to find the best way to implement necessary changes. The fact that you are subscribed to this newsletter indicates you have achieved a certain level of awareness and want to learn more.

The Green Jewelry Movement is in its infancy, and you can help to build the movement! Information is scarce and answers are not always clear. We all face the same issues in our jewelry studios and businesses. I am sure some of you are devoting time and energy to researching and finding solutions. This is your chance to be a responsible citizen and share the information you have found. Email me with any tips, tricks, and practices, along with green and ethical suppliers that will help make jewelry studios and the world a better place. In turn, I will share them in this newsletter so everyone can benefit.

Together we can be the change we want to see in the jewelry industry.
Ask Your Suppliers
How Green and Ethical Are Their Products?

phone What you do in your studio on a daily basis certainly has an impact on the planet. However, an even larger impact is created by the daily operations of your suppliers. Do you know where the materials you use in your studio come from? Do you purchase recycled metal? How can you find out?

The best way to find out where the products you are purchasing come from is to call your suppliers and ask. Use these questions to pressure your suppliers to become part of the Green Jewelry Movement:

ˇ What percent of the metal is recycled?
ˇ Are gemstones responsibly sourced and cut?
ˇ Are products made without using child or sweatshop labor?
ˇ Where do the products come from?
ˇ If products are made in house, what has been done to reduce the environmental impact of their facility?
ˇ If the products are made by another company, have they asked the tough questions you are asking of their suppliers?
ˇ Do they use recycled and recyclable packaging?
ˇ When do they plan to stock more environmentally products?
ˇ Do they have any purchasing policies regarding environmental or labor practices? (If they do, ask to see a copy. If they don't, ask them to create such a policy for their future purchases.)

When possible, choose local products and products that are made in the USA to support your local economy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Set purchasing policies for your own jewelry business according to your values. Then research until you find a supplier who will provide you with what you want. We all need to push our suppliers to provide us with eco-friendly and ethical materials. In order to create responsibly made jewelry for our customers we need to start with responsibly sourced materials.
Green Jewelry Class at Revere
March 7, 2009 from 9am to 4 pm

green jewelry casting Last fall, the Revere Academy offered the nation's first "Green Jewelry" class. The class was a sellout and so, the Academy has scheduled another session for March 7, 2009.

Two instructors developed and taught the class. Jennifer Horning is an environmental attorney and consultant, and one of the original co-founders of Ethical Metalsmiths. Christine Dhein, assistant director of the Revere Academy shared teaching responsibilities.  Prepared with a wealth of information, the instructors raised awareness of the key social and environmental issues and enabled each participant to walk away with an individual plan to go green and support fair, ethical practices. According to one participant, the class "brought insight and energy to the topic," while giving students concrete information.

Students were eager to learn, as this type of information has been difficult to find. Gary Rowe, a jewelry businessman from Arkansas got what he wanted out of the class. "Everyone in our industry needs to make sure our processes and procedures are ethical and safe. I had actively sought scientific information, specific to the jewelry industry without success. The class at Revere provided me with what I needed, plus numerous resources in a succinct, one-day format."

On March 7, 2009,  in just six hours, participants learn where metals and gemstones come from, about green suppliers and what they can do to promote healthy mining practices. This class offers jewelers the information they need to respond to customers' questions about the sourcing and sustainability of materials. The class also covers gold testing, ingot making, safe and eco-friendly studio practices, future green business certification, and more. The cost of the class is only $129 with $50 of the fee going to Ethical Metalsmiths. Register now!
 

Green Jewelry Tip of the Month
Energy Efficiency Checklist for the Studio

energy_green background Here is a list of simple things you can do TODAY to make your studio more energy efficient. Take the time to read this article and make the effort to start now!



ˇ
TURN OFF LIGHTS YOU ARE NOT USING
Be mindful of shutting the light each time you leave the room. Alternatively, install motion sensors (about $20 each) that automatically turn the lights off in empty rooms.
ˇ TURN OFF YOUR ELECTRONICS
If you are going to be away from your computer or other appliances for more than an hour, turn them off as you leave the room. Even in "energy-saver" mode, electronics consume more energy than if you turn them off.
ˇ ELIMINATE PHANTOM LOAD
Unplug electronics when not in use, or install a power strip, and turn off the strip when you leave the studio. You can purchase Smart Power Strips which sense when you have turned off your main device and will automatically turn the strip off. However, if you already own power strips, it is more eco-friendly to make a conscious effort to turn them off manually than to purchase new strips.
ˇ SHIFT YOUR LOAD TO OFF PEAK TIMES
Run tumblers and other machinery that "does the job for you" at as far from mid-day as possible. Plan your studio tasks to minimize electrical use at mid-day.
ˇ DON'T HEAT OR COOL EMPTY ROOMS
If you only work in a small area of your studio, shut off the vents and doors to unused rooms. If your studio is one large room and you generally use only a small portion, consider using an energy efficient space heater.

Simple and economical steps toward energy efficiency require awareness and small changes to daily habits. Leave a note for yourself by the light switch to turn out the lights and a note by the place you hang your apron at the end of the day to turn off the power strip. Or create your own system to be sure you are being as energy efficient as possible.

This energy efficiency list was inspired by the article Efficiency First! in the Green Amercia's quarterly newsletter. Read the full article for additional things you can do around both your home and studio for increased efficiency and savings.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and learn more about the Green Jewelry Movement. Check out this month's events, and send this newsletter to a friend to help spread the word about using recycled and ethically sourced jewelry materials along with eco-friendly studio practices.
 
Sincerely,
 

Christine Dhein

In This Issue
Obama's Call to Action
Ask Your Suppliers
Green Jewelry Class
Energy Efficiency Checklist
Green Links

ˇAssociation for Responsible Mining
ˇEthical Metalsmiths
ˇGreen Jewelry Networking
ˇGreening Your Studio

ˇGreen Jewelry Tips
ˇJewelry_cycle Photos
ˇLess-toxic  Alternatives
ˇMadison Dialogue

Christine Dhein's Profile
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Christine Dhein is a jewelry designer, author, and eco-educator who has been using recycled materials for over ten years.

Christine's jewelry can  be purchased online at objectfetish.com.

View more work by Christine on
Flickr.com, including her Fashion, Keum-boo and
Tribal Elegance collections.

Join Christine on Crafthaus, an exciting new website connecting fine artists, studio jewelers and designers.
Jewelry_cycle on TV!
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Inside City Limits interviewed  Christine Dhein  about the Jewelry_cycle exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Craft + Design.
See the Interview!


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Jewelry_cycle was also named as a trendsetter by Jewelry Trends blog.

Green Jewelers
Sharing Information

bario neal

Founded by Anna Bario and Page Neal, Bario-Neal is a company making handcrafted jewelry in Philadelphia with reclaimed precious metals; ethically-sourced stones; and low-impact, environmentally conscious practices.

The company promotes transparency, fair trade initiatives, and the development of third party certification systems for ethical jewelry.

These two women started a blog to help jewelers find more responsibly sourced materials after much frustration in their own research trying to access information from suppliers, processors, and other jewelers about their materials and methods. They share this information with the hope that it will help create a more transparent jewelry manufacturing industry.

Many thanks to these jewelers for their hard work and the inspiration they offer. You don't have to start a blog to share. Send information to christinedhein@yahoo.com to have it included in this publication.

Above: Yarrow Ring
Handcrafted in Philadelphia from a vintage blue enamel link reclaimed precious metals; ethically-sourced stones; and low-impact, environmentally conscious practices. 1% of all Bario-Neal profits is donated to the Association for Responsible Mining.


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Green Jewelry Articles
by Christine Dhein

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For information about proper disposal of studio chemicals read Christine's article from the December, 2008 issue of Jewelry Artist.

Learn more about green studio practices by reading Christine's article,
Reduce Environmental Impact with Green Bench Practices printed in the November, 2008 issue of
JCK Magazine.

Look for Christine's next article on green studio practices in the May, 2009 issue of Art Jewelry.

Green Opportunities

Call for Entry
Lark Books is seeking high-quality images for their book 500 Found Object Works.
Deadline: Mar 15, 2009
More Details

Call for Entry

"Trash into Treasure"
The goal of the contest is to show how "discarded items can be redesigned into works of art as well functional everyday items." Prizes of $2,000, $500 & more.
Deadline: April 10, 2009
More Details