Diamonds have long been symbols of luxury, love, and commitment, but beneath their dazzling exterior lies a complex ethical and environmental dilemma.
Traditional mined diamonds have long been associated with issues such as human rights violations, environmental destruction, and the funding of conflicts. As the world slowly pivots towards more conscious choices, lab-grown diamonds are emerging as a sustainable and ethical alternative.
The cost of mined diamonds
The mining of natural diamonds is an incredibly resource-intensive process. It often involves the displacement of communities, deforestation, and the destruction of ecosystems.
Large-scale mining operations require significant energy consumption and lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and the release of carbon emissions. In some cases, diamond mining has also been linked to exploitative labour practices, where workers endure hazardous conditions for minimal wages.
In this month's column, HELLO!'s Planet Positive Green Coach, Lucy Johnson revisits the moment she witnessed the true destruction of the diamond industry first hand…
© Vicki Knights PhotographyMany years ago, I stood on the edge of a diamond mine in Botswana while filming for Channel 4 News. The mine was so vast that the enormous trucks at the bottom looked like toy cars.
All mining scars the Earth and diamond mining is no different. To produce one carat of diamonds, miners sift through around 250 tons of rock and sediment, and only a tiny fraction of the recovered stones are of gem quality.
But growing diamonds has its own environmental challenges. It’s an extraordinarily energy intensive process. Carbon is heated to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit - as hot as the sun’s surface - until it breaks apart the carbon atoms. Atom by atom, a diamond lattice forms on a base, mimicking the process by which diamonds form in nature.
The 2019 Trucost report found that, on average, greenhouse gas emissions are three times greater for lab-grown diamonds than their mined counterparts.
So what is the earth-friendly solution?
Ethica Diamonds, a mother-and-daughter-founded brand, are pioneers of using lab-grown diamonds that are certified carbon negative. They ensure that the majority of their stones come from suppliers using renewable energy.
Their ethical commitment was recently showcased at the Born Free Footsteps to Freedom gala ball, where they collaborated with the Born Free Foundation to support wildlife conservation. The event, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, featured a dazzling auction where actress Joanna Lumley modeled an intricate necklace depicting the earth cupped in human hands.
© Ethica Diamonds"It was the clarity of Ethica Diamonds' designs," Joanna told me. "They offered me three designs and said which should we make up, and they were absolutely ravishing. It was nail-biting stuff, but it was the story of this one - it was the hands protecting the earth and everything that's on it - that really struck my heart."
The necklace, crafted by Ethica Diamonds, raised £10,000 for the foundation, helping return animals to their natural habitats.
The future of sustainable luxury
Ethica Diamonds began as a love story with diamonds in 2010 when Elaine and her daughter, Emily Reffell, appalled by the scandal of blood diamonds from conflict zones and their impact on the environment, decided there had to be a better way to source a girl's best friend.
To ensure their diamonds are truly Kind, Not Mined®, as their trademark claims, Ethica Diamonds says the majority of its lab-grown diamonds are sourced from suppliers that use mainly renewable energy.
At the Born Free Footsteps to Freedom Gala, Ethica Diamonds, which scores full markes on The Good Shopping Guide's ethical score, also donated the first lab-grown diamond to be certified carbon-negative. Made from carbon captured from the atmosphere, using 100% renewable energy, one lucky person could win the diamond in a glass of champagne. Sadly, despite drinking several glasses of champagne, that lucky person wasn’t me.
As the auction started, Joanna modelled the necklace to the assembled room and the bids came in thick and fast. The tiny Planet Earth necklace raised £10,000 for the Born Free Foundation and the animals they release back to freedom.
Lucy Johnson is the founder of Lovebrook & Green ethical luxury digital department store, launching in early summer. Sign up here for early access.
Introducing Lucy Johnson, HELLO!'s Planet Positive Green Coach
Lucy Johnson is a green coach and qualified psychotherapist, working with people and businesses to rebalance with nature.
Lucy, founder of sustainable lifestyle consultancy Green Salon, is passionate about living a life in balance with nature.
"I hope to inspire people just like you, who'd like to improve their own wellbeing by clearing pollutants from their homes, cooking delicious, nutritious food and finding brands that don’t cost the earth.
"People who want to explore a new world of forest-bathing and wild-swimming, take night-trains on holiday and glamp under desert stars.
"My new monthly column will cover the highs and, sometime lows, of living a greener life. I hope you’ll come along and join me on this journey."
