How to Go Green: Eco-Friendly Wedding Rings

I have a confession to make about the huge, blinding diamond on my left hand. My engagement ring and wedding band are considered green, because they are both recycled. This does not mean that my husband went out and bought a cheap wedding ring, in fact, it is considered to be a very high diamond clarity (SV1). I receive compliments from strangers often and they never would suspect that my beautiful wedding band is eco-friendly and considered green because it has been refurbished. Our wedding was considered green as well, because it was an outdoor ceremony at a state park that required minimal decorations and even our DIY wedding invitations were printed on recycled paper.

Green weddings are not complicated to plan, but before starting to plan a wedding ceremony and reception you will have to pick out wedding bands. A green wedding ring with diamonds is a great alternative to "blood diamonds", which are mined in war zones and are often from areas considered "conflict free".

Part of the engagement as well as the wedding ceremony is the rings you as a couple will wear for the rest of your lives. A great way to start living green together is to pick green or eco-friendly wedding bands.

What are some options of green wedding bands and where can you find them? Here is several examples of eco-friendly diamonds and wedding bands that can get you started in the green lifestyle;

Avoid blood diamonds and those that could be mined in African conflict zones by recycling a family heirloom. A great example of a recycled diamond is a grandmother or great-grandmother's engagement diamond that can be placed in a wedding band setting of your choice.

Another alternative to mined diamonds are lab created diamonds. An example a company specializing in lab created diamonds is Greenkarat.com, which also uses recycled gold band settings.

An eco friendly wedding band can also be made out of sustainable sources such as wood. Touchwoodrings.com specializes in eco-conscious wooden jewelry that can be turned into wedding bands. Some of the wood choices for green bands includes birch, maple, rosewood, coconut and walnut. Wooden wedding bands are considered one of a kind, especially due to grain and natural colors of wood.

Vintage jewelry and any family heirloom can be turned into a green wedding band. Consider auction websites such as eBay.com for finding vintage rings or wedding bands. Also, any heirloom gold or platinum can be melted down and turned into a personalized, fashionable wedding band.

Sumiche Jewelry Co. offers Certified Green Gold and Platinum and diamonds that have been sustainable mined in conflict free zones. They even offer recycled gold and platinum for green wedding rings. Eco conscious jewelers such as Sumiche Jewelry Company powers their jewelry studio by wind power. Their selections include platinum, diamond, mixed metal and custom designed wedding rings.

Wedding bands are the most important part of your wedding, other than the actual ceremony that pronounces you man and wife. Going green together will be easier if you start from your wedding day, and a green wedding ring will serve as a reminder to keep doing small things that can have a huge impact on our environment.

Sources:

www.greenkarat.com
www.touchwoodrings.com
www.sumiche.com
www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html