“Blood Diamond,” the latest Leonardo DiCaprio movie, has focused new attention on the impact diamond mining has on the planet. But it’s not just carbon bling that takes an eco toll. Gold comes with a nasty environmental price tag, too. One gold ring, conservationists say, generates 20 tons of mine waste. Toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury, which leach gold out of rock, pollute drinking water supplies, contaminate farmland, foul rivers and streams, and threaten the health of workers and communities.

Whether you’re still shopping for the holidays or just want to know where to find jewelry that’s as “green” as it is pretty, consider these options.

At the mall, patronize companies that have pledged to support more environmentally benign mining practices like Leber, Helzberg, Fortunoff, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

In your community, browse antique stores, estate sales, yard sales and specialty shops. You should be able to find quality used jewelry in unique settings at great prices. A little polish will make most vintage jewelry glimmer like new.

Online, GreenKarat sells rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants and custom jewelry made from recycled gold. Earthwise Jewelry uses gold and platinum processed from reclaimed sources, conflict free diamonds, fairly traded colored gemstones and environmentally conscious precious metals to make wedding, anniversary and commitment bands and other fine jewelry. Brilliant Earth jewelry features Canadian-mined diamonds in recycled gold bands, as well as other beautiful settings.

For truly green alternatives to gold, diamonds and gems, think organic textiles, wood, and recyclables. Local artisans are being particularly creative knitting and weaving scarves from organic wools and cottons to replace necklaces. You can find them in neighborhood boutiques and via word-of- mouth.

For more beautiful options, visit the jewelry page of theworldwomenwant.com.

In addition to these twice-a-month updates, we're regularly adding new content to our website: www.theworldwomenwant. What'll you find? Look for green shopping tips, eco-friendly projects, and a wealth of information for greener, cleaner, safer living that will often save you time and money, too. For more, go to the "Your World" section of our site.