Gold Standard

On a whim, and not being sure what would turn up, I Googled "eco jewelry" and was astounded by what I saw. Sealed orchid blossom necklaces, rosewood and ebony bracelets, bloodwood and alder rings! But what I found most interesting in my search was the concept of this: recycled gold. Here's something from a site called greenKarat,

"While gold is valuable enough to provide an incentive to recycle, significant amounts of gold sit idle, while mining continues at a pace of 2,500 tons a year. In fact, there is enough gold above ground (already mined) to satisfy all demands of the jewelry industry for the next 50 years. Much of it sits in bank vaults and in the form of old and unused jewelry.
greenKarat believes that consumers have the ability to demand the liberation of that idle gold through their purchasing decisions. Demand for recycled gold, in conjunction with campaigns to clamp down on ecologically and socially unacceptable mining, holds the potential to effect change. Because this methodology helps societal custom work in concert with principles of commerce, it can be embraced by consumers and producers alike, and therefore result in sustainable change."

So ask if the gold ring you're about to buy is recycled, and cherish the pieces already made generations ago.