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
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Obama's Call to Action Each of Us Must Make a Commitment to Change
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?
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
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! |
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Green Jewelry Tip of the Month Energy Efficiency Checklist for the Studio
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
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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.
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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!
Jewelry_cycle was also named as a trendsetter by Jewelry Trends blog.
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Green Jewelers Sharing Information
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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To receive this monthly newsletter, send an email with "Green Jewelry News Subscribe" as the subject.
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Green Jewelry Articles by Christine Dhein
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.
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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
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