soULmAtE - Columbia Natural AwakeningsâHome
soULmAtE - Columbia Natural AwakeningsâHome
soULmAtE - Columbia Natural AwakeningsâHome
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include aquamarines and sapphires<br />
procured from around the globe, are<br />
guaranteed to have been mined by<br />
workers earning a fair living wage.<br />
NoDirtyGold.org offers a clickable<br />
list of retailers who have taken<br />
the first step toward more responsible<br />
sourcing of gold. And Brilliant Earth<br />
(BrilliantEarth.com) makes its earrings,<br />
necklaces and rings from recycled gold<br />
and Canadian diamonds.<br />
“By using recycled metals, we<br />
decrease the global demand for newly<br />
mined gold and diminish the environmentally<br />
and socially destructive effects<br />
of dirty gold and other metal mining<br />
practices,” says company co-founder<br />
Eric Grossberg. “Because precious<br />
metals can be recycled repeatedly with<br />
no degradation in quality, they are a<br />
naturally renewable resource.” Five<br />
percent of Brilliant Earth’s profits go to<br />
African communities victimized by the<br />
diamond trade.<br />
The wedding and engagement<br />
rings, earrings and necklaces offered by<br />
GreenKarat (GreenKarat.com) are made<br />
from recycled gold, silver and titanium,<br />
as well as synthetic gemstones. “Buying<br />
recycled gold is one of the most<br />
ecologically and socially responsible<br />
choices a consumer can make,” advises<br />
GreenKarat President Matthew White.<br />
PristinePlanet.com’s online catalog<br />
brims with eco-friendly jewelry at<br />
a variety of price points, qualified as<br />
conflict-free, fair traded or reclaimed<br />
and recycled.<br />
Antique jewelry always serves as a<br />
thoughtful, conscientious and welcome<br />
gift. Delightful heirloom pieces often<br />
turn up at local shops. The Antique<br />
Jewelry Mall (AntiqueJewelryMall.com)<br />
also stocks a wide selection, including<br />
birthstone jewelry, necklaces, earrings<br />
and wedding and engagement rings.<br />
The irresistible glow of precious<br />
metals and gems has always led us to<br />
buy jewelry with our heart. Now, our<br />
good intentions can be doubly congruent<br />
with our conscience.<br />
For more information, visit the Council<br />
for Responsible Jewelry Practices at<br />
ResponsibleJewellery.com or TheGreen-<br />
Guide.com. A group working for mining<br />
reform is Washington, DC-based Earthworks<br />
at EarthworksAction.org.<br />
Alternative<br />
Healing<br />
Stones<br />
by Jay Workman<br />
Join us for Green<br />
Drinks<br />
When:<br />
Tues., Feb. 18,<br />
5:30-8:30pm<br />
Where:<br />
Jillian’s in<br />
The Vista,<br />
800 Gervais St.,<br />
<strong>Columbia</strong><br />
GreenDrinks.org<br />
Mineral jewelry can do more<br />
than adorn the body; some<br />
people use crystals and other<br />
gems to promote wellness. Two factors are at work: the crystalline structure of<br />
a stone and its color.<br />
Many believe that quartz and other types of crystals can be used to<br />
bring the body’s energy meridians and seven energy centers, or chakras, into<br />
alignment. Colors work on a subconscious, complementary, level to address<br />
psychological issues. Certain stones have become associated with specific<br />
chakras, as follows:<br />
First chakra – The Root: red. Garnet, ruby, red jasper.<br />
Second chakra – The Navel: orange. Carnelian, orange zincite.<br />
Third chakra – The Solar Plexus: yellow. Citrine, yellow sapphire, yellow topaz.<br />
Fourth chakra – The Heart: green. Emerald or green tourmaline.<br />
Fifth chakra –The Throat: light blue. Aquamarine or turquoise.<br />
Sixth chakra – The Third Eye: dark blue. Blue sapphire or lapis lazuli.<br />
Seventh chakra – The Crown: purple. Amethyst or quartz.<br />
Remember to verify the source of any gemstones acquired to ensure that they<br />
come from humanitarian, fair trade sources.<br />
Source: Mike and Diane McKnight, in Sun City, AZ.<br />
Connect at (480) 614-5365 or WeHug.com.<br />
February 2009<br />
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