Many people think that weddings and diamond rings go together like salt and pepper. However, while wedding rings have long been a matrimonial tradition, diamonds have only been a wedding tradition in more recent years. Diamonds unfortunately have many negative points, however. Eco friendly wedding rings can be a good compromise.

Diamonds create a big issue in terms of fair labor, as diamonds are often mined under harsh conditions, and African miners are severely underpaid (if paid at all) for their work. Diamond mining also produces a lot of waste, and is not done in an eco-friendly manner. Thus, for the environmentally-friendly person a traditional diamond ring is not really an option. Some ideas are discussed below.

One main thing that you can do is discuss with your jeweler the origin of your jewelry – both diamond and band. If it is not from a fair-trade, eco-friendly region, you should move on.

If you want a real diamond without the guilt, look for one that was mined in Canada. These are almost guaranteed to be mined by workers who actually were reimbursed for their labor, and are more likely to have been mined in an earth-friendly manner. However, be sure that the metal for the band was either recycled or mined in a sustainable way. Otherwise only part of your ring is environmentally sound.

If you want a traditional ring you can also look into “used” rings. These are rings that you can find online or in a pawn shop. They have the same quality and look of regular rings (because that is what they are), but because they are reused they do not affect the diamond trade. They can be resized or the diamonds can be removed and added to a different band.

Another option is fake diamonds or alternative stones. Aquamarines are usually eco-friendly, and faux diamonds aren’t mined and thus do not carry the same sort of risks. While not traditional, these types of rings are becoming more popular and faux diamonds look just like real ones.