Why Lab Created Diamonds Support an Eco-Friendly Wedding

Eco-friendly weddings are becoming more common than ever. The average wedding produces 63 tons of CO2, so many couples are trying to lower their carbon footprint.

If your goal is to have an eco-friendly wedding, you probably want to make every aspect of your big day as environmentally friendly as possible. But how can you accomplish this goal?

There are a lot of eco-friendly wedding planning tips that you can follow. Perhaps you’re already planning on providing vegan meals at your reception and you’re avoiding disposable cups and plates at the snack bar. These efforts are pretty common, but did you know you can make your wedding eco-friendly simply by choosing lab grown diamonds over mined diamonds?

Lab grown diamonds are actually more eco-friendly than traditionally mined diamonds because there’s far less damage to the environment. Before getting into the damage, it’s important to note that lab grown diamonds are just as real as mined diamonds.

When grown in a lab, diamonds are created under the same conditions as they are in nature, and they look identical to the naked eye. For instance, the best lab created diamonds come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and cuts, just like mined diamonds.

What’s wrong with mined diamonds?

The diamond mining industry has been a source of controversy for years. Most people know that “blood diamonds” are diamonds mined in a war zone used to finance more violence by perpetuating wars and other atrocities. Unfortunately, this reality is still in existence today. Even though some nations have adopted the Kimberley Process, many haven’t, and blood diamonds don’t seem like they’ll disappear anytime soon.

Although violence is the most well-known issue related to mining diamonds, it’s not the only issue. The environmental destruction caused by the diamond mining industry is massive. For example, this article shows images of the destruction in South Africa caused by some of the world’s top diamond mining companies in the world. It destroys the planet as well as rivers, lakes, and streams. Between 1956 and 2003, the acid drainage from diamond mines has increased pollution by 36%.

The good news is that lab grown diamonds can be good alternatives. You want to disregard some of the myths about them.

Diamond mining is not environmentally friendly

Wherever diamonds are mined, the existing population is pushed out of the area and forced to relocate, which causes soil quality degradation, deforestation, and soil erosion in the areas where they relocate en masse.

Unrehabilitated mined areas are not only an eyesore, but the destruction is often left behind and ignored. Although mining companies are required to return mined areas to a state that is equal to or better than it was when they began mining, they don’t always honor that agreement.

For example, one of the most well-known mining companies has left the equivalent of 2,000 football fields worth of unrehabilitated mined land in South Africa that threatens more than 45 plant species.

Lab created diamonds are the better choice

People have a natural fascination with jewels, and diamonds happen to be the most accessible precious stone around. Naturally, a diamond’s beauty is unmatched and that’s part of why they’ve become the traditional stone for most wedding rings.

However, the fact that mining diamonds causes so much environmental destruction tends to lessen the appeal – until you consider lab grown diamonds.

If you’re planning on proposing or getting married and you’re looking at diamond rings, consider the source of your diamonds before committing to a purchase. You don’t need to buy mined diamonds to get amazing rings. There are so many beautiful diamond rings with gorgeous settings and cuts that are made with lab created diamonds.

How are lab created diamonds made?

A diamond created in a lab is formed under the same conditions you’ll find in nature – heat and pressure. The only difference is that the conditions have to be created in a machine, but the result is the same: a beautiful diamond with the same molecular structure as a mined diamond.

In addition to having less of an impact on the environment, the next biggest benefit to lab grown diamonds is most notably the cost. You’ll save a significant amount of money when buying diamonds made in a lab, and technology has made it even cheaper in recent years.

For instance, in 2008, it cost $4,000 per carat to produce a diamond in the lab. Today, it costs around $300-$500 per carat.

For many, the environment takes priority over tradition

Some people are aware of the environmental impact of mined diamonds but can’t get behind lab grown diamonds because it’s not traditional. There will always be some who prefer tradition over all else. However, when you’re looking for ways to make your wedding as eco-friendly as possible, choosing lab created diamonds will be one of the best decisions you’ll make while planning your wedding.