My mission in terms of ethicality with The Guide Crystals is to provide you with the most sustainably and consciously sourced products I can!
This means there are a number of things I need to do as a Business Owner to ensure that your products are sustainable for both the workers and the environment!
Here's what goes on behind the scenes!
DISCLAIMER!
It is very important to note that there is no such this as an Ethical Crystal Store, just as there is no such thing as a Zero Waste Lifestyle!
There are so many processes between a crystal mine, the processing of crystals and the sale of them that provides so much error for unethical practices!
The term "Ethically Sourced" has become very trendy for stores to label themselves as without further research into the issues ongoing around the world!
For example, the political turmoil in Afghanistan recently has lead to the revelation that most sources of Lapis Lazuli are being used to fund extremist groups such as the Taliban.
Suppliers who label their stones 'ethically sourced' from countries of political or economic unrest without research on their origins, fail to understand that the term ethicality reaches far beyond that of fair wages and sound working conditions for employees.
Thus, The Guide Crystal will NEVER label ourselves as an Ethically Sourced Crystal Store, unless I, myself, were to mine and process the crystals by hand!
Only then would I be able to ensure that each and every crystal is being sourced ethically as I can monitor every step of the process!
SO YOUR NOT ETHICALLY SOURCED?
We are! We just choose not to give yourselves that traditional label for the reasoning provided above!
We are in close contact with our suppliers on their issues of ethicality and their sources for crystals, as well as doing our own research on the crystals countries of origins!
OUR RESEARCH
As a Geography and Earth & Environmental Sciences student, it is essentially my field in study to examine the locations and issues of ethicality for deposits of minerals around the world!
I spend (probably too much lol) time researching the locations of countries policies around the ethics of mining, in terms of both their equality for workers and their policies of restoration for the environment!
Equality of Workers
We have seen the the past the exploitation of the lower class for dangerous activities such as the mining and production of minerals.
Some countries have no policy regarding the treatment of their workers, say nothing of fair wages! This means that individuals working for mining companies are consistently being put at risk by preforming dangerous tasks of mineral extraction.
Through my research I am able to uncover countries where there are policies of ethicality and equality for workers, ensuring that these miners are operating in safe environments and have access to a fair pay for their work.
Environmental Restoration
In Australia, there are policies of environmental restoration put in place for invasive mining procedures such as the extraction of minerals.
This is the case with ALL the countries we source our crystals from!
The restoration of the environment is key in ensuring that the human interactions of mining is taken care of and the land, habitats and ecosystems are not left in a state of degradation.
Restoration policies ensure that mines are closed or left in a safe condition that mimics the natural state of the land, as well as ensuring that natural wildlife are restored (eg. plants and other habitatual elements that allow for animals to survive and be protected)!
This ensures that the land where minerals and crystals are being mind is not left to die and impact the effects of the biotic communities living within an ecosystem!
CAN YOU SUMMARISE THAT FOR US?
Yes I can!
In summary, I conduct a lot of research into the locations of our crystals available on our website!
I am in close contact with suppliers about the ethicality of some popular minerals (ie. Carnelian which is in high demand, in some areas causing the exploitation of the resource).
These are issues I am very interested in and do my absolute best to pursue and remain informed on not only from a business standpoint but for my own knowledge!
I believe it is of the utmost importance so consciously and sustainably source such high vibrational, energetic tools, like crystals to ensure there are no low vibrational attachments to their energy!
