Fair Trade Jewelry

This article clearly illustrates the position many people in the ethical jewelry movement hold with regard to Wal-Mart’s “Earth Love” jewelry. I was interviewed by Ms. Graff and quoted twice in the article.

Though the idea of mine to market sourcing would be considered a best practice for Wal-Mart, my view is that the positive element of this initiative is undermined by their nefarious marketing.

This is the fifth of an ongoing series of posts on fairjewelry.org tracing the development of Wal-Mart’s Earth Love jewelry.

~ Marc Choyt, Publisher

Read the original article off this link:
Wal-Mart’s ‘Love, Earth’ Could Have Retailers Seeing Green

Tags: Best Practices, CSR, Environment, Fair Trade Jewelry, Mining, Spin, Transparency, Wal-Mart 'Love Earth' by Marc Choyt
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Introduction:

This article conveys the difficult issues involved in a large retailer like Wal-Mart admirably attempting to gain full custody of their supply chain. The objection that many have toward this initiative are not so much in the sourcing, but the marketing of the product, which this article, it should be noted, spaciously spins favorably by talking about Michael Kowalski, CEO of Tiffany, as someone who “hikes” and is pro-environment. **A photo of the “guilt free” gold is also provided. **

Tiffany is sourcing from some of the same places that Wal-Mart does, but they are wise enough not to market it as earth friendly. These mines are massively destructive to the environment (see previous posts on Wal-Mart)
Wal-Mart’s “Love Earth” Brand Draws Early Fire
Complaints Filed Against Wal-Mart For False Green Jewelry Claims
~ Marc Choyt, Publisher

This is the third of a series of posts on Wal-Mart. See the others in the Wal-Mart category to the right.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/03/news/companies/gunther_gold.fortune/

Tags: CSR, Environment, Fair Trade, Fair Trade Jewelry, Gold, Green Issues, Mining, Spin, Transparency, Wal-Mart 'Love Earth' by Marc Choyt
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Introduction:

In this press release, activist environmental NGOs line up in opposition to Wal-Marts “Love Earth” jewelry line. Note that the objection is primarily to the marketing and not the actual mine to market concept. Read the letter posted earlier, which explains in detail the objections over Wal-Mart’s sourcing.

Boulder, CO:

Environmental watchdog group Global Response announced today that it filed complaints with Consumers Union and the Federal Trade Commission, charging that Wal-Mart’s ‘green’ claims for its ‘Love, Earth’ jewelry are false.

“It is unconscionable that instead of addressing the planet’s serious environmental problems, Wal-Mart hoodwinks consumers into thinking they can ‘reduce impact on human health and the environment’ by buying gold jewelry,” says Global Response’s executive director, Paula Palmer.

The mines in Utah and Nevada and the factories in Peru and Bolivia where Wal-Mart claims its gold for ‘Love, Earth’ is “sustainably mined and manufactured”, are not monitored or certified by any credible independent agent.

“Wal-Mart has chosen to publicly endorse mining operations which have significant problems,” says Dan Randolph, executive director of the Nevada-based Great Basin Resource Watch. “These mines emit unacceptable quantities of mercury into the air, threatening the health of fetuses and young children. They deplete water quantity in an arid region, and they will go on contaminating water with toxic metals for centuries to come.”

Denver-based, Newmont Mining Company mines ‘Love, Earth’s’ gold on Western Shoshone lands without the permission of the Western Shoshone. “Wal-Mart claims its jewelry comes from ‘community friendly sources’, says Larson Bill of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. “But they’ve never talked to us, and we’re the community affected by Newmont’s mines. They should meet with us. We need an independent health study here to show how these mines are affecting our people.”

Tags: CSR, Environment, Fair Trade, Fair Trade Jewelry, Gold, Green Issues, Mining, Spin, Transparency, Wal-Mart 'Love Earth' by Marc Choyt
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Introduction:

Wal-Mart is introducing a “sustainable” jewelry product they are calling “Love Earth.” This will represent 10% of their product range.

The large scale operations are described in this letter signed by 29 environmental activists concerned about the ethical jewelry sector. The letter, dated July 29th, preceded a conference call with the main players from Wal-Mart introducing the brand. I listened to the call.

In essence, the sourcing for Wal-Mart is from massive strip mines, some of the largest in the world, located in Utah. As the letter states, one of the mines has polluted seventy square miles of an underwater aquifer. The jewelry from these mines are now being branded as “Love Earth.”

This branding is straight from George Orwell: “Earth Love” is now “Earth Death”. Their brand also undermines legitimate efforts from companies such as my own that equate ecologically responsible jewelry production with recycled materials.

Wal-Mart claims that they cannot go recycled because there isn’t enough supply available, but I suspect that the real issue is cost. Wal-Mart, with their volume, probably purchases gold from these mines at a significant discount off of the standard spot price. This is typical of the relationship large refiners have with gold mines. This discount is not as likely with recycled precious metals. About twenty percent of all jewelry is made from recycled precious metal.

In the call itself, Wal-Mart representatives claimed to want to be “part of the solution.” They are going to respond to early criticisms made during that call later this fall.

Few people beyond the mining companies, share holders and employees like the effects of these mines on the environment. Yet it must be said that mine to market sourcing represents a best practice for a player like Wal-Mart. Even with the current issues, what they are trying to do is better than purchasing their gold from unspecified sources around the world where gold is associated with child labor and even more destructive environmental practices than those in Utah. Wal-Mart could simply source from these mines as Tiffany does without calling it “Love Earth.”

I am personally holding back my full critique or support of this project for the time being. This is the first of several posts on Wal-Mart that will be on this site over the next few months. ~Marc Choyt, Publisher

See the letter as a PDf here: Letter To Wal-Mart

Tags: Best Practices, CSR, Environment, Gold, Green Issues, Mining, Spin, Transparency, Wal-Mart 'Love Earth' by Marc Choyt
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