Today I spent my afternoon clicking through the National Geographic Website and came across this article 'The Real Price of Gold' by Brook Larmer. We are entering this ethically aware trend to know how and where our everyday objects are made. Thus, we are given the opportunity to make that choice to purchase eco-friendly and ethically responisbly.
In my small bubble world of jewellery, I was made graphically aware with 'Blood Diamond' of how important it is to ethically purchase stones and beads. This article, i read today brings to light how gold is sourced.
In the past 8 years gold prices have soared 235%. (Makes me wish i had invested all my hard earned money in gold bars). Today, the big gold mines are reaching far ends of the earth in search of what is left in the earth to mine - including 3 miles above sea level to La Rinconada in Peru. These workers are not paid to risk their lives mining for gold. They have to battle with the high altitude of the andes and of course the terrible working conditions forced upon them. These workers are not even paid for the time they work. Instead, they are allocated 1 day to mine for as much as they can carry with the hope they find a little gold flicker in their sack.
