Greetings!
Thank you for being a part of the Green Jewelry Community and taking the time to learn more about the issue involved in sourcing precious materials for jewelry.
In this issue I am asking you to take action. Call the president TODAY, March 15, 2010 and tell him you support the national campaign to stop mining companies from dumping
waste into our drinking water. See details in the article below.
You will also find information on green jewelry classes, exhibitions, tips and more.
Thank you for doing your part to make the world a better place.
Christine Dhein
Green Jewelry Educator
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Stop Dumping Mining Waste into Our Water
Call the White House TODAY!
Monday, March 15 at 202-456-1414
Above:Slate Lake, Alaska in August 2009 after trees were cleared for trucks at the Kensington Gold Mine to dump toxic mine tailings into the lake, allowed because they are labeled "fill". Take action to close this loophole!
Mines are using a loophole to dump waste into
America's lakes and streams:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the
authority to close this loophole in the Clean Water Act,
protecting our nation's clean water from mining pollution. Please join this
national call-in effort to stop the dumping of mining waste in America's
waters.
Call the White House TODAY, Monday, March 15 at 202-456-1414, and ask
President Obama to restore the Clean Water Act's prohibition on dumping mining
waste into our clean water.
The Problem: Taking advantage of a loophole that the Bush
administration created in Clean Water Act rules, mining companies are
using America's streams and lakes as dumping grounds
for unlimited amounts of solid mining wastes. For example, the Kensington Gold Mine near Juneau is planning on destroying a
freshwater lake by calling mining waste "fill" and dumping it
untreated into the lake. This loophole is also being used to allow mountaintop
removal coal mines to dump their waste into Appalachian streams.
The Solution: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to close
the waste loophole in the Clean Water Act, and President Obama should instruct
the agency to do so immediately.
The Action: Please call the White House at
202-456-1414 on Monday, March 15!
Together, we can demonstrate to the White House the
urgent need for action to restore the prohibition of dumping mining waste in
our water.
Talking Points:
I'm calling to ask President Obama to end the dumping of mining
waste in our water. Please restore the prohibition on filling waters with
waste immediately.
Mining companies are using the 2002 loophole in the Clean Water Act
rule to bury streams and lakes with untreated mining wastes.
From the mountaintop removal mines in Appalachia to the Kensington
gold mine in Alaska, mining waste is destroying our streams and lakes.
President Obama should direct the EPA to close the mine waste
dumping loophole immediately.
More Details
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Green Jewelry in Australia
Part 2 of 3
The Green Studio Techniques Class Report
Christine Dhein demonstrates recycling bench scraps by fusing them to silver to create textured sheet in Green Studio Techniques class
The Green Jewellery Movement is
alive and well in Australia! Check out last month's issue for details about the Green
Jewellery Symposium. Read on for details about Christine Dhein's Green Studio Techniques class in Brisbane, Australia and look for a report on studio visits with innovative Australian jewelers in the next issue.
Green Studio Techniques, taught by Christine Dhein, was held at Griffith University Queensland College of
Art, November 14-15, 2009. The full class was attended by a diverse range of students including presenters from the Green Jewellery Symposium, Bibi Locke and Cathy Salter.
The class began with an overview of the history and process of open pit gold mining in Australia, which is similar to the American mining industry. Learn more about the mining process at The Superpit, the largest gold mine in Australia.
Detailed information about where gold comes from, the vast resources required to extract it from the earth, and the impact on both the environment and nearby communities motivated students to learn more about capturing precious metals and recycling them in their own studios. Students were also eager to learn less-toxic alternatives to standard studio practices. Some of the information presented can be found in Christine's article, Reduce Environmental Impact with Green Bench Practices.
Left: Students inspect saltwater etching sample
Right: Saltwater etching sample before resist was removed
In this hands-on class,
students learned how to recycle filings from the bench to make fused textured
sheet, rivet
to combine precious and non-precious materials and the step-by-step process for saltwater etching, which will be included in a future issue.
By the end of the class, students felt energized and motivated to implement changes. Students returned to their workshops with the ommon goals of a healthier workshop and a healthier planet as they pursued their passion for making jewelry.
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Responsible Sourcing Report Card for Jewelry Retailers
Released by No Dirty Gold Campaign
Tarnished Gold: Assessing the Jewelry Industry's Progress on Ethical Sourcing of Metals is a report by the No Dirty Gold Campaign that evaluates progress jewelers have
made in pursuit of cleaner sources of precious metals.
Tarnished Gold evaluates jewelers of all sizes and includes
those who committed to responsible sourcing of their metals, and some who did
not. Released on February 10th, it finds signs of hope as well as shortfalls. Learn More
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Jewelers and Fair Trade
Fairtrade Gemstones from Columbia Gem House
JCK Magazine recently published an online article about several retail jewelers and their successful efforts to introduce fair trade gems to their customers.
The jewelers profiled in this article make it clear that their is a market for fair trade gemstones, and many of them are embracing fair trade and social responsibility because it feels like the right thing to do. The article also outlines the other benefits of selling fair trade.Learn More
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Donate Tools To Women in India
Revere Grad Goes to India to Train Survivors with New Jewelry Making Skills
Jewelry designs by Dianna Badalament
Dianna Badalament, Revere Academy graduate and a member of the Green Jewelry Community, has been selected as the lead trainer for the Destiny Jewelry Program, new program of Made By Survivors. This new metalsmithing and jewelry manufacturing social enterprise is designed to help survivors of human trafficking in India by training them in jewelry and metalsmithing skills they can use to earn a living.
Learn More
Diana is collecting tool donations to take with her to India at the end of the month. Benjamin Fisher will be collecting used tool donations in the Phelan Building in downtown San Francisco through the middle of March. To arrange the drop off of your donation, contact Ben.
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Tips from our Readers
Jewelers Share Green Studio Practices
In House Paper Recycling
"Not Just for Jewelers!"
Patterned and Celtic Wedding Bands by David Clarkson of Point Reyes Jewelers
David Clarkson of Point Reyes Jewelers in Point Reyes, California, says "I offer one tip, which is obviously not just for jewelers:
For printing, use used paper. It has two sides and there's
no reason not to use the second side for printing things that don't have to look impressive.
Print internal reports, notes to friends (it's a good example, too), etc.
Good luck to everyone on the Green Jewelry Community, and keep on "greening."
-David Clarkson
Point Reyes, CA
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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
Green Jewelry Educator
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Green Jewelry Archives
Now Available On-Line!
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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.
Learn More about instructional DVDs on Keum-Boo, the ancient Koren technique of bonding a thin layer of 24k gold to the surface of sterling silver. With this technique, 24k gold can be easily recycled over and over in the jeweler's workshop. Christine demonstrates how to make gold foil from scrap in her DVD, Keum-Boo: Beyond the Basics.
Join Christine on Crafthaus, an exciting new website connecting fine artists, studio jewelers and designers.
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Classes with Christine
Green Metalsmithing in NY
April 30 & May 2, 2010
at the 92nd St. Y
Heard the buzz about green or eco-jewelry? Be inspired by visuals,
lectures and demonstrations, and get hands-on experience designing and making a "green pendant" to take home. More Details
Green Jewelry at Revere
Aug 6, 2010 in San Francisco
Are your customers asking you questions that you can't answer about your
materials? Do you want to learn more about safe and healthy studio practices? This class is for you! $50 of your class fee will be donated to Ethical Metalsmiths. More Details
Green Jewelry in Boston August 11, 2010
at Metalwerx, Boston, MA
Class includes gold testing, ingot making, safe and eco-friendly studio
practices, eco-trends, creating an action plan to green your studio and more. More Details
Surface Embellishments & Riveting Techniques
August 12-15, 2010
Metalwerx, Boston, MA
Here's your chance to learn how to add depth, texture, layers and gold
to your work. Explore a variety of surface treatments and embellishments including
Japanese dot inlay, keum-boo, roller printing, stamping, embossing, and
subtractive textures. Plus, learn basic, ball and tube riveting, as well as making jigs and spacers,
accurate layout, drilling and counter-sinking. More Details
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The work of Christine Dhein will be featured in
True Individuality - Adornment for the Hand, an exhibition of
unique finger rings by prominent metal smiths; atypical in characteristic, cast
and fabricated in precious metals in combination with a variety of other
materials.
Above: Cage Ring by Christine Dhein
18k gold, diamonds and rubber
The work of Christine Dhein is represented by Studio 20/17, Waterloo, NSW currently exhibiting selected work of members of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia.
Above: Recycled Rubber Earrings repurposed o-rings, and sterling silver by Christine Dhein
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monthly newsletter,
send an email with "Green Jewelry News Subscribe" as the subject.
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Green Jewelry Blogged
 Jewelry Cycle on EnGadget
Jewelry Cycle on Ecouterre
Green Jewelry Neckpiece in The Needle Files.
Center for Sustainable Craft on Conceptual Metalsmithing
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Green Jewelry Articlesby Christine Dhein
 Your Studio: Making Eco-Friendly Choices, printed May, 2009 in Art Jewelry magazine. Download
a chart of 12 less toxic chemicals for making jewelry.
Proper Disposal of Studio Chemicals printed December, 2008 in Jewelry Artist.
Reduce Environmental Impact with Green Bench Practices printed November, 2008 in JCK Magazine.
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Green Jewelry Articles
JA and JFC Raise More Than $100,000 for Haiti
Learn more about Jewelers for Children
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