Lab-grown diamonds are a new and more sustainable alternative to mined diamonds because they use less energy, less water, and produce less carbon emissions than regular diamonds. In order to help with the environmental issues that mined diamonds have caused, many jewelry brands have opted for a lab-grown alternative.
Are Sustainable Lifestyle Choices Rising?
According to consumer trends in 2020, the number of consumers who are aware of sustainable lifestyle choices is rising. While this phenomenon has a long way to go, it’s still considered to be an improvement. Additionally, this increase in sustainable options has led to an enormous growth in the industry. However, this awareness and demand in sustainable alternatives in the jewelry industry remains low.
Trying to Shed Light on the Negative Impacts of Natural Diamonds
Until now, not a lot of people have cared enough to learn about the process of mined diamonds. For instance, entrepreneurs Shivani Movaliya and Surali Ribadiya on an interview with Hindustan Times said that ‘’If consumers knew the mining process behind mined diamonds, many would change the way they buy jewelry’.’ Shivani also added that “we want to empower customers with knowledge to make better choices.”
Both Shivani and Surali are co-founders of a lab-grown jewelry brand, so they want to increase awareness about lab-grown diamonds and remind people of the negative impact that mined diamonds have on the environment.
They believe that consumers would make better decisions if they were better informed about the negative implications of mined diamonds. Although the well-known movie ‘’Blood Diamond’’ starring Leonardo Di Caprio made quite a strong statement, it still seems like the its message remained unknown to the majority of people.
Insights and Statistics Regarding Natural Diamonds
The two entrepreneurs have further shared some insights regarding mined diamonds, saying that ‘’the mining of natural diamonds has long-term social, environmental, and ecological consequences. For example, on an average for every 1 carat that is mined from the ground, up to 250 tons of earth is extracted, 127 gallons of fresh water is used, 143 pounds of air pollutants are emitted.’’ These insights are staggering, but they are just the tip of the iceberg.
On the other hand, Surali spoke about the impact of mined diamonds on climate change. ‘’These mining practices have far-reaching effects contributing to flooding, drought and deforestation. On top of that, diamond mining is often linked to unethical practices, as the mines are mainly located in places where the local communities’ needs are marginalized.’’
Why are Lab-Grown Diamonds a Better Alternative?
With the consequences of mined diamonds in mind, many people have created sustainable and ethical brands. Shivani stated that ‘’Lab-grown diamonds use approximately 86% less water, 50% less energy and produce 95% less in carbon emissions than their counterparts, making them a much eco-friendly choice.’’
Lab-grown diamonds are made under the same environmental conditions that help with the creation of mined diamonds; the only difference is that these conditions are re-created in a lab. So, in other words, a lab-grown diamond is both chemically and physically the same as a mined diamond, but it doesn’t have the negative environmental impact because it requires zero water waste, land excavation, or exploitation.
Not only this, but many lab-grown diamond companies have taken further steps towards their sustainability approach by using recyclable or reusable materials in their packaging or shipping to reduce carbon footprint.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds more Expensive?
Consumers often think that sustainable alternatives are more expensive, and while in some cases that may be true, this is not the case with lab-grown diamonds. The majority of lab-grown diamond companies provide diamond jewelry with reasonable prices due to the fact that most of them cut down on middlemen.
However, fair pricing doesn’t mean low quality. Every diamond is carefully inspected and then handpicked. Recognized institutions such as IGI or GIA attest to the quality of the diamonds.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
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