Green Jewelry News

May, 2009
Vol. 2: No. 3

Green Jewelry News

Greetings!

In this issue you will find a wealth of news, tips and tricks along with information on new mining reform legislation that has been introduced to Congress. Included is a letter you can send to your representatives to show your support. Please take the time to make your voice heard. Together we can make a difference.

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

Christine Dhein
Green Jewelry Educator

Brilliant ReUse Exhibition &
Demos at Maker Faire
Sponsored by the Metal Arts Guild, May 30-31
Keum-boo Demo - Christine Dhein, May 31, 3 pm

Pipet Earrings by Lynn Christiansen and Geek Bling Necklace
by Kelly Nedderman.

Come check out the Metal Arts Guild (MAG) booth at Maker Faire, May 30-31, 2009 at the San Mateo County Expo Center! The booth will host Brilliant ReUse, an educational showcase of wearable treasures made from recycled materials, made by MAG members. The exhibition, curated by Christine Dhein, will include jewelry made from a wide variety of recycled materials including circuit boards, tape measures, LEGO�, medical surplus and food tins made by MAG members Shana Astrachan, Harriete Estel Berman, Lynn Christiansen, Luana Coonen, Christine Dhein, Aimee Golant, Kelly Nedderman, emiko oye, Willy Jewelry, and Carolyn Tillie. Participating artists transformed these discarded materials and gave them new life as beautiful, wearable art.

The Maker Faire is a DIY extravaganza to suit the crafter and techie alike. The MAG booth will be in the Show Barn and have a full line-up of hands-on workshops and demos, including a Keum-boo demo by Christine Dhein on Sunday from 3-4 pm. See below for the schedule of events. Click here for info and directions to Maker Faire. http://www.makerfaire.com

Saturday, May 30
11am-12pm Working with Argentium
with Ronda Coryell (demo)
12-2pm Chain weaving
with Leslie Gordon (demo)
2-3pm Recycled Gold Splatter Techniqe
with Eli Yasek (demo)
3-7pm The Pencil Project
with Harriete Estel Berman (hands-on)
4-5pm Crocheting and Knitting with wire with Cintra Harbach (demo)
4-8pm Fold Forming with Ed Lay (hands-on)

Sunday, May 31
10am-1pm The Pencil Project
with Harriete Estel Berman (hands-on)
12-3pm Fold Forming
with Ed Lay (hands-on)
3-4pm Keum-boo-Bonding Gold on Silver
with Christine Dhein (demo)
4-6pm Recycled Pendant Project
with Taiko Roskothen (hands-on)

Mining Reform Bill
Re-introduced to Congress
Educate Yourself
About This Important Issue!

America's 18th president, Ulysses Grant, signed a mining law in 1872 that remains the law of the land. Its purpose was to promote the settlement of
publicly-owned lands in the west. The law prioritized mining over all other uses, land sold for $5 per acre and mining was done with a pick and shovel. Public land is still sold to mining companies, foreign and domestic, at rock bottom prices and mining still trumps all other uses. The law does not protect the environment from the impacts of large-scale industrial mining and, unlike the oil and gas industries, mining companies pay no royalties!

On January 27, Congressman Nick Rahall and 21 co-sponsors introduced The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009. Among other things, its passage would balance the need for mining against other land uses, establish environmental and reclamation standards that protect water supplies, fish and wildlife. And, it would promote economic development by creating jobs for abandoned mine clean-up and reviving

Passage of this bill would be a big step in improving mining practices in the United States. Metalsmiths and jewelers are the mining industry's face to the public. Jewelers are increasingly left to answer tough questions from customers about "dirty gold" and account for poor practices in the mining industry. As jewelers and metalsmiths, we not only have a stake in the outcome, we are in a unique position to promote change. We can act together to advocate for sensible, modern reform.

Senator Boxer has been a leader in efforts to protect the environment and keep air and water clean. Senator Feinstein last year introduced a measure to establish funding for abandoned mine clean-up. Their support at this stage would help the bill gather momentum.

Ethical Metalsmiths, Christine Dhein, and others active in growing the green jewelry movement ask you to contact Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein, or your local representatives via email asking for their support for modernizing mining laws by joining as cosponsors of S. 796. Below is a sample letter. Please personalize it if you can.

Above: Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah

Take Action - Send a Letter!
Ask Your Representatives to
Support Mining Reform Act S. 796

Golden Sunlight Mine, Montana.

Senator Barbara Boxer
Senator Dianne Feinstein

Click on the links above to be taken to these representatives' websites. Then copy and paste this sample letter into a form for constituent correspondence. Please personalize it if you can.

Sample Letter

Dear Senator Feinstein,

Metalsmiths and jewelers are the mining industry's face to the public. 80% of the gold mined each year is made into jewelry. Jewelers are increasingly left to answer tough questions from customers about "dirty gold" and account for poor practices in the mining industry. I support reforming the outdated 1872 mining law for ethical and economic reasons. I do not want to trade in corrupt gold and I do not want to give up my profession.

The old law gives away publicly-owned land and minerals without regard to the public interest, fails to address environmental problems associated modern mining, ignores environmental and health hazards at abandoned mines, does not respect the rights of indigenous people and does not does not protect important religious, cultural and historic place.

Like many independent jewelers and metalsmiths across the country, I support S. 796, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009, introduced by Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman.

I am a California jeweler writing to urge you step forward and join as a co-sponsor of this important legislation. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

Best wishes,
Gretta the Green Jeweler

Thank you for using your voice to support the integrity of our profession. Please forward this newsletter to friends in California who share our concerns. If you do not live in California, please write to your local representatives and ask for their support.

For more information about this important issue, visit Ethical Metalsmiths.

Tips from our Readers
Jewelers Share Green Studio Practices

Reduce Pickle Use by James Binnion

Mokume Gane wedding bands by James Binnion in 18K yellow gold, 14K palladium white gold, 14K red gold and sterling silver.

"One of the things that folks can do to reduce their pickle use is stop using it so much. You truly rarely need to pickle between soldering operations. Hot water will do a dandy job of removing flux, then the areas to be soldered next can be easily cleaned of any oxides mechanically (pumice, wire brush, sandpaper etc). In most cases you only need to pickle as the final step in cleaning after all soldering operations are done. Another advantage of this practice is that it reduces the likelihood of contaminating a solder joint with pickle or baking soda that did not get completely rinsed out before the next soldering operation."

-James Binnion
Western Washington State

Thank you James for your great suggestions!

Send me your green jewelry tips with a picture of your jewelry, and keep an eye out for them in an upcoming issue!

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

Brilliant Reuse Exhibition & Demos at Maker Faire

Mining Reform Bill

Write Your Representatives

Tips from Our Readers

Green Links