With the state of our current climate, young people are dedicated to changing the outcome for our planet. Going up against major companies feels like a daunting task, but we only have one Earth. When corporations scar our land, tear apart our communities, and chop down our forests; they leave decades-worth of damage behind.
Zoomers are starting to get old enough for marriage, and a new question is popping up in their eco-conscious conversation. Have you ever thought about the bleak outlook of the mining industry?
“Natural” Is a Good Thing… Right?
It’s easy to buy something online without checking sources. Things are so accessible at the click of a button that it is easy to forget, and how much harm can a single diamond do?
When something comes from Mother Earth, we tend to believe it is a good thing. It’s true; mined diamonds do come from a natural process. That’s not the issue! The real problem lies in how we extract those natural resources.
Dig a Little Deeper to See the Real Face of the Mining Industry
When you look into the history of the mining industry, there are some serious flaws. Miners have to displace about 1,700 tons of dirt for a single one-carat diamond. We’re talking about major harm to the surrounding areas; bye, bye to any farmland, forests, and native species in the area.
Imagine being a farmer before a mining company makes its way near your land. Picking up the scraps from the mining company’s abandoned land is illegal, and you have no way to make honest money. After your land becomes useless from erosion, the only way to earn a living is to “steal, sell drugs, or mine diamonds.”
These exploited workers live in a sad reality, and do we really want to contribute to their suffering?
Inventing the Diamond (for the Second Time)
It’s not all doom and gloom. Scientists use chemistry and decades of research to work miracles. Using their collective knowledge, they tried to find a way to synthesize diamonds in a laboratory in the late 1800s. We have Tracy Hall to thank for truly inventing one of the first man-made diamonds.
After leaving General Electric in 1995, Hall started his journey to create diamonds at Brigham Young University. With the help of Francis Bundy, Robert Wentorf, and Herbert Strong; they created a model to make lab-created diamonds that other scientists could follow.
What came from almost a century of hard work and research? A future that replaces the mining industry with ethical, lab-created diamonds.
Let’s be honest. Tracy Hall’s motivation was a mystery. For all we know, it could have been a grab for money or fame. However, his invention definitely did something for the greater good. Lab-made diamonds are a great alternative for those critical of mined diamonds. Why should you go for the natural choice if it directly threatens human rights and scars communities?
Here’s the real kicker: “natural” diamonds are no different than lab-made diamonds. You will hear a lot of opinions on the matter, but that is a fact.
Choose the Lab-Created Diamond That Works for You
Who said that we need to buy diamonds from the ground to get married, anyway? Younger generations are happy to step outside of traditional values, and that’s where lab-created diamonds come in. With the unique tastes of today, it is a-okay to step outside of society’s comfort zone.
Most people prefer the traditional round engagement rings, but there are many options out there to express yourself with a unique engagement ring. Retro is in this year, check out these art deco engagement rings featuring a gorgeous throwback to the 1920s.
Stepping outside of the box is a fantastic way to pick the perfect ring. For example, you can take the adventurous route with a pear shaped engagement ring rather than the more traditional round brilliant center stone.
The truth is that diamonds are beautiful and strong. That’s why we want to own them. Their resilience can be passed on for generations, making them the perfect gift to represent long-lasting feelings.
We naturally gravitate towards gifts like diamonds because there truly is nothing else like them. You are not a bad person for loving them, but better choices are available without compromising on quality.
