Despite the fact that I sell conflict free diamonds and mostly
recycled metals, I am always amazed by the number of customers who
come in and have themselves in an uproar over some of these issues
(conflict diamonds in particular). Besides the fact that they refuse
to acknowledge that there are African nations that benefit immensely
from the diamond trade (Botswana being a great example) they seem
hell bent on reaching some ideal level in their lives that the rest
of us can’t seem to reach. Unfortunately for them, most of their
about these issues comes from their computers, and many
of their contacts on the same issues are reached through their cell
phones.
So what, you may ask? Well the next time someone comes in with these
concerns, ask them if they would be willing to give up their
computers and cell phones because there is a material used in them
all, tantalum, which is made from coltan (an unrefined metallic
ore), that is creating far more death and environmental destruction
than anything done with diamonds right now. Tell them to get on
their environmentally unsound, conflict computers and Iphones and
look it up. Nobody really NEEDS an Iphone or a computer. The world
did fine without them for quite a long time. Ooops, my bad. I’m
writing this on a computer. I’ll have to go out and thrash myself.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140