Flowers, Diamonds, and Gold: The destructive public health, human rights and environmental consequences of symbols of love Martin Donohoe.

Flowers, Diamonds, and Gold: The destructive public health, human rights and environmental consequences of symbols of love Martin Donohoe

Overview Flowers Diamonds Gold Alternatives/Solutions

“Say it with flowers”

Flowers Long history of religious, folk, heraldic and national symbolism Gifts of love, friendship and filial devotion St. Valentine’s Day Mothers’ Day

The Floriculture Industry
$30 billion cut flower industry Major producers: Holland, Columbia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ecuador, India, Mexico, China, Malaysia World’s largest producer: Dole Fresh Flowers

Largest import markets: U.S. and Germany Only 1/3 of cut flowers sold in U.S. are domestic Most from CA

190,000 workers in developing countries Ecuador and Columbia account for ½ of flowers sold in U.S. Most profit flows to large, multinational corporations, headquartered outside producing countries Small amount reinvested locally

Floriculture and Women
Predominantly female workforce Low wages No benefits Short contract cycles Child labor, dismissal for pregnancy, unpaid overtime common Women often must take pregnancy test or show proof of sterilization before hired

Floriculture and Labor
Labor organizers harassed, workers fired for trying to organize unions Third party contractors shuffle workers from plantation to plantation, avoiding payment of social security and inhibiting union organizing

Floriculture and the Environment
Floriculture displaces crops grown for local food consumption Contributes to malnutrition and increased local food costs Requires large quantities of irrigation water 120 liters/dozen roses Contributes to drop in water tables

Floriculture: Toxic Exposures
Flowers = most pesticide-intensive crop Greenhouses increase ambient levels of pesticides 1/5 of pesticides banned or untested in U.S. Carcinogens, persistent organic pollutants/endocrine disruptors

Floriculture: Toxic Exposures
Flowers carry up to 50X the amount of pesticides allowed on foods USDA inspects for pests, but not pesticides

Floriculture: Health Effects
Over 50% of workers have symptoms of organophosphate pesticide exposure (cholinergic symptoms) Other common health problems: Allergic reactions, heat stroke, pneumonitis, RSI, cellulitis, UTIs, neuropathies, mental health problems, cancers, reproductive problems (low sperm counts, spontaneous abortions, fetal anomalies, etc.)

EPA estimates U.S. farm workers suffer up to 300,000 pesticide-related acute illnesses and injuries per year NAS estimates that pesticides in food could cause up to 1 million cancers in the current generation of Americans 1,000,000 people killed by pesticides over the last 6 years (WHO)

Labeling, handling, and storage problems rampant Protective gear often lacking, not working Reuse of pesticide-saturated greenhouse plastic for domestic purposes not uncommon Workers wash / bathe children in same sink

Local physicians poorly-trained, lack resources to manage pesticide-related health problems Many providers employed by floriculture company Conflict of interest

Diamonds Symbols of wealth, power, love, and magical powers
Created from carbon early in the earth’s history under extreme temperature and pressure Industrial uses: cutting, chemically inert, transmits many wavelengths of light, can be tweaked to hold an electric charge Discovered in India around 800 B.C. Commercial mining began in 1866 in South Africa

World Diamond Mine Production (1995-2011)

Diamond Production Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, Mumbai (Bombay), and Dubai major trading centers Most cutting done in Surat (India), Tel Aviv, Antwerp, Mumbai, New York and Thailand Major retail markets U.S. and Japan

The Diamond Market Annual retail sales = $72 billion (2012)
2008: Christie’s sells 36-carat diamond for $24 million World’s Largest Diamond: 40-carat Hope Diamond at Smithsonian Fun fact – some exoplanets contain diamond layers thousands of miles thick

Kimberley Mine, SA Yielded 3 tons of diamonds, Closed 1914

Mirny Diamond Mine, Siberia Largest open diamond mine in the world

The Diamond Engagement Ring
Diamond engagement ring introduced in 1477 (Archduke Ferdinand → Mary of Burgundy) De Beers Mining Company Founded by Cecil Rhodes in 1888 Responsible for 40%-45% of worldwide diamond production and sales

Cecil Rhodes (Rhodesia, Rhodes Scholarship, DeBeers Mining Company)
“We must find new lands from which we can easily obtain raw materials and at the same time exploit the cheap slave labour that is available from the natives of the colonies. The colonies would also provide a dumping ground for the surplus goods produced in our factories.”

Diamond Rings 1939: DeBeers hires N.W. Ayer and Company to make diamonds “a psychological necessity…the larger the diamond, the greater the expression of love.” By 1942, 80% of engagements in U.S. consecrated with diamond rings (still true today) Diamonds first worn by stars to the Oscars in 1942

Diamond Rings 1947: “A diamond is forever” slogan born
Jewelers instructed to tell (pressure?) men - who buy 90% of all diamonds – to spend at least 2 months salary on the ring Later: Anniversary diamonds

Diamond Rings 1999: Advertising Age magazine declares “A Diamond is Forever” slogan the most effective of the 20th Century Recognized by 90% of Americans 1999: De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer – “Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill”

Diamond Rings 2003: De Beers begins to market diamonds to single women
“Your left hand says ‘we,’ your right hand says ‘me.’”

Pet Jewelry: The Diamond Dog Collar

Diamonds: Profits and Losses
144 million carats rough diamonds mined for jewelry per year Worth approximately U.S.$15 billion 1 carat diamond retails for $4,000-$7,500 in the U.S. Cost less than $2 billion to extract Ultimately sell for over $80 billion

Workers desperately poor but hoping to strike it rich in “casino economy” Over 1 million in Africa Work under dangerous, unhealthy conditions for pittance Diamonds may be embedded in asbestos Workers suffer from cancer, leukemia, silicosis

Middlemen, diamond dealers and exporters earn the lion’s share of profits Most foreign nationals Very little profit re-invested in local communities

2008: DeBeers settles several class action lawsuits over anti-trust violations, unfair competition, and consumer-protection laws related to monopolizing supplies, conspiring to fix/raise/control prices, and disseminating false and misleading advertising Over $300 million plus prohibitions/oversight DeBeers admits no wrongdoing

Diamonds: Human Rights Abuses, Conflict and Terrorism
Mine owners violate indigenous peoples’ rights via destruction of traditional homelands and forced resettlement Mining hastens environmental degradation of ecosystems already under severe stress Diamond mines expected to run dry by 2030, sea bed off Africa expected to become major source

Diamonds have been used by rebel armies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Liberia, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone to pay for weapons used to fight brutal civil wars 3.8 million deaths Child soldiers Forced labor Sex slavery, HIV Terrorize local populations (e.g., RUF in Sierra Leone killed and mutilated thousands via amputations with machetes and axes in 1990s)

Al Qaeda and Hizbollah have used diamond monies to: Fund terror cells Hide money targeted by financial institutions Launder profits from criminal activity Convert cash into a commodity that is easily transportable and holds its value

Armed groups raise $4-5 billion/yr through taxation of and illicit trade in diamonds Smuggled and illicit conflict diamonds may amount to as much as 10-15% of diamond jewelry sold worldwide U.S. State Dept. 20% Global Witness

Accusations that television evangelist Pat Robertson’s charity, Operation Blessing, served as an elaborate front for his for-profit African Development Company Ltd., a diamond mining operation licensed by Zairean President Mobutu, who had been sanctioned by the UN over alleged human rights violations

Trump Administration Leaked draft of presidential memo shows Trump may ask the SEC to temporarily waive the requirements of the Conflict Mineral Rule, a provision of the Dodd Frank Act which discourages American companies from funding conflict and human rights abuses in the DCR through purchasing conflict minerals Many tech companies favor waiving the rule

Accusations that television evangelist Pat Robertson’s charity, Operation Blessing, served as an elaborate front for his for-profit African Development Company Ltd., a diamond mining operation licensed by Zairean President Mobutu, who had been sanctioned by the UN over alleged human rights violations

Gold Dominant role throughout history in the growth of empires and the evolution of the world’s financial institutions

Uses of Gold 40% of gold mined today turned into jewelry
40% used in financial sector (coins, ingots for banks, other uses) 10% used by industry Special properties: malleable, ductile, good thermal conductivity, durable, and resistance to corrosion

History of Gold 4000 B.C.: gold first fashioned into decorative objects By 1500 B.C.: the standard medium of exchange for international trade Used by Catherine de Medici as poison and by physicians to treat rheumatoid arthritis Mid-1800s: Gold Rushes in California and South Africa

Gold Production Top producers: China, Australia, United States, Russia, South Africa, Peru 3,000 tons mined each year Valued at over $20 billion Typical piece of gold jewelry sells for at least 4 times the value of the gold itself

The Wedding Ring Formulated from a variety of minerals throughout history As with diamonds, aggressive marketing has played a significant role in popularizing the gold wedding band

How Gold is Used (In Tons)
2400 = jewelry 461 = industrial and dental 445 = retail investment 253 = exchange-traded funds

Gold Mining: The Myth

Gold Mining: The Reality

Gold Mining Artisanal (15 million people, including 3 million women and children) Produce up to 15% of world’s gold Corporate (few major corporations)

Mining: The World’s Deadliest Industry
Tens of thousands killed mining gold and other minerals over the last century 40 killed per day presently Activists (labeled eco-terrorists) at risk from militias, paramilitary contractors

Over 500,000 abandoned mines in U.S. alone Estimated cleanup cost: $50 billion Minimal governmental funds available Industry has blocked Hardrock Mining Reform and Reclamation Act since 2007 Union-busting / human rights abuses help maintain cheap labor force

Local communities suffer environmental damage, pollution, earthquakes, dislocations STDs rampant, spread by miners to wives and children FGC

The Resource Curse Dependence upon gold mining slows/reverses economic growth, increases poverty, and encourages governmental corruption

The Resource Curse ½ of gold produced worldwide between 1995 and 2015 has or will come from indigenous peoples’ lands Rural and indigenous peoples evicted without prior consultation, meaningful compensation, or the offer of equivalent lands elsewhere

The Resource Curse Benefits go to corrupt central governments and overseas corporations Unregulated mines often controlled by organized criminal gangs or armed terrorist organizations Little returned to local communities Casino economy

Environmental Destruction
¾ of active gold mining and exploration sites overlap with regions of high conservation value, such as National Parks and World Heritage Sites

U.S. Gold Mining Mining Law of 1872 Archaic law
Mine purchase price between $2.50 and $5.00 per acre No royalties paid for gold mined on public lands

U.S. Gold Mining Generous government subsidies Cheap fuel
Road building and other infrastructure Reclamation and cleanup

U.S. Gold Mining Local communities stuck with multi-million to multi-billion dollar environmental cleanup costs when mines declare bankruptcy or move on Native Americans’ rights violated

Gold Mining Gold = Cyanide + Mercury
At least 18 tons of mine waste created to obtain the gold for a single 3 oz., 18k ring Gold leached from ore using cyanide Cyanide paralyzes cellular respiration

Mercury used to capture gold particles as an amalgam Mercury converted to methylmercury in environment Significant neurotoxin Minamata Disease China, Brazil (Amazon) 37% of global mercury pollution due to gold mining (major source = coal-fired power plants)

Minamata Disease W Eugene Smith

4000 tons used to purify gold during 19th-Century Northern California Gold Rush Fish in Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay still show elevated levels

Gold Mining: Environmental Damage
Contaminated groundwater often sits in large toxic lakes held in place by tenuous dams 1-4 tailing dam breaches/yr (10X failure rate of water dams) Release of cyanide and mercury into local waterways kills fish, harms fish-eating animals, and poisons drinking water

Omai gold mine in Guyana (one of the largest open-pit mines in the world): Tailings dam failed in 1995 3 billion cubic liters of cyanide-laden tailings renders downstream 32 miles of Omai River, home to 23,000 people, an “environmental disaster zone”

Baia Mare gold mine in Romania Tailings dam broke in 2000 100,000 metric tons of toxic wastwater spilled Fish killed, other animals harmed, drinking water of 2.5 million people in Danube River watershed

Animus River spill, SW USA (2015) Coastal dumping of gold mine waste elsewhere damages estuaries and coral reefs

Gold, Mercury and Malaria
Gold mining contributes to the spread of malaria: Mercury may lower immunity to malaria Still pools of water serve as mosquito breeding grounds Migrant miners import new strains, infecting indigenous peoples E.g., Thousands of Yanomami Indians killed in Brazil in late 1960s / early 1970s

Gold: Other Health and Environmental Harms
Deforestation Gold smelting uses large amounts of energy and releases SO2, nitrogen dioxide, and other components of acid rain Contributes to asthma, skin ailments

High levels of neurotoxic mercury found in artisanal miners Release of lead into soil and air causes lead poisoning Epidemic of lead poisoning in Nigeria Silica exposure causes silicosis Increases risk of TB

40% of Western U.S. watersheds affected by gold mining pollution More than 25 mines (some still active) on Superfund list Mine pollution ruins farmlands and strains local food resources

Water tables decline due to pumping of enormous quantity of water to release gold from ore Toxic pollution from gold mines affects 100 million people worldwide Living near a gold mine costs 12.7 DALY loss (i.e., productive lifespan cut by 12.7 yrs)

Gold Mining Harms Women
By displacing agriculture (where women play a major role), removes women from labor force Concentrates economic power in hands of men Diminishes women’s financial resources and educational, political, and legal opportunities

Gold Mining Harms Women
Mining employs a few women in low-level, clerical positions, where they face severe discrimination, sexual harassment, and firing for pregnancy Women have to walk further to collect water Dowry-associated violence, esp. in India Utilization of child labor

Gold Mining: Human Rights Abuses
Grassberg mine, Indonesia (world’s largest, owned by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan) On land seized from Amunge and Komoro peoples Dumps tons of cyanide-laced waste into local rivers each day Operators implicated in forced evictions, murders, rape, torture, extra-judicial killings, and arbitrary detentions Abetted by Indonesian military, which it has paid millions of dollars

Gold Mining: Terrorism
Echo Bay Mines Limited purportedly paid off Abu Sayef (affiliated with Al Qaeda) in exchange for protection of its Philippines-based gold mine

Gold: Markets vs. Morals
U.S. government has 8,134 tons of gold secured in vaults (worth approximately $122 billion) Federal Reserve and other major central banks have agreed to severely restrict sales from their reserves, offering, in effect, a price support to gold

Currently 3 times more gold sits in bank vaults, in jewelry boxes, and with private investors than is identified in underground reserves Enough gold to meet current consumer demand for 17 years Subsidies make it cheaper to extract new gold than to recycle existing gold

Mining industry maintains strong ties with governments to maintain status quo $32 million spent on lobbying in 2011 (largest recipient = Mitt Romney)

Gold mining supported by World Bank and its profit-making arm, the International Finance Corporation Gold industry blocking International Monetary Fund- and World Bank-sponsored debt-forgiveness package Radio talk show hosts hawking gold from Goldline International, others

Other Items With Similar Human Rights and Environmental Health Issues
Conflict minerals – for cellphones, electronics, missile guidance systems, etc. 2013: SEC notification required if Congo is source of conflict minerals; “conflict-free” label allowed if not Chocolate Jade

Symbols of Love: Alternatives and Solutions
Flowers: Grow your own Potted plant

Flowers Purchase locally- or internationally-produced, organically-grown, labor-friendly bouquets Farmers’ markets, Whole Foods, other upscale markets (contributes to carbon offsets) 1-800-Flowers (some) Others

Flowers: Consumer education Pressure on supermarkets, florists Boycotts → voluntary eco-labels in Europe NGOs developing industry standards Food First Information Action Network’s Flower Campaign → voluntary International Code of Conduct

Alternatives and Solutions
Flowers: Veriflora Certification System: Organic production with phaseout of pesticides Water conservation Safe waste management Mitigation of previous environmental damage Fair labor practices / fair wages / overtime pay / right to organize Unannounced audits ensure compliance

Flowers: Veriflora Certification System: Campaign focused on Supermarkets (29% of U.S. flower sales, market share increasing, 50 major companies) Less focus currently on wholesalers (1200 nationwide) and florists (30,000, 47% of market share) Society of American Florists yet to endorse Fair trade flowers

Diamonds: Consider alternatives to traditional engagement ring Cubic zirconium Synthetic/cultured diamonds – over 75,000 lbs produced each year worldwide LifeGems (diamonds created from carbon captured during cremation of human and animal remains!) No ring

Diamonds: Purchase only verifiable conflict-free diamonds cut, color, clarity, and conflict Query jewelers, consumer education, boycotts, protests, shareholder activism Diamond industry prefers self-regulation

Diamonds: Kimberly Process Certification Scheme Requires rough controls to assure conflict-free diamonds Governments license miners Diamond traders utilize sealed, tamper-proof containers Integrated computer databases in importing and exporting countries catch discrepancies

Diamonds: Kimberly Process Certification Scheme Importing countries enact strict customs regulations, backed by thorough inspections and harsh penalties Supported by diamond industry and UN General Assembly Involved countries (77) slow and often ineffective in enacting Scheme

U.S. Clean Diamond Act of 2003 Mandates participation in Kimberly Process Certification scheme Money from fines (up to $10,000 for civil and $50,000 for criminal penalties) and seized contraband earmarked for victims of armed conflict Implementation slow USA Patriot Act includes anti-money laundering measures

Amnesty International/Global Witness survey ½ of companies failed to respond Only 38% of companies responding able to provide a meaningful account of their policies Helzberg Diamond Shops, Sterling (Signet), and Tiffany and Co. have most comprehensive policies

Conflict-Free Diamonds
2013: Only 11% of US jewelry stores have a conflict-free diamond policy

Safe Diamonds (?)

Gold: No Dirty Gold Campaign: Halt to production and sale of gold produced at expense of communities, workers, and the environment Mining companies not to operate in areas of armed conflict Companies representing 22% of US jewelry market (accounting for $14.5 billion in sales) pledged Take the pledge at System similar to Kimberly Process

No Dirty Gold Campaign Companies pledged include: Zale Corporation
Signet Group (parent firm of Sterling and Kay jewelers) Tiffany and Company Helzberg Diamonds JC Penney

No Dirty Gold Campaign Companies pledged include: Cartier Piaget
Van Cleef and Arpels Fred Meyer Wal-Mart Jostens

No Dirty Gold Campaign Companies pledged include:
QVC Target Sears Pledging is just the first step

Gold: Consumer pressure, boycotts, shareholder resolutions Consider recycled/vintage gold, eco-friendly gold, alternatives to traditional wedding ring/class ring Pass Hardrock Mining Reform and Reclamation Act

Gold: Bans on use of cyanide for gold extraction E.g., Montana, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, several Argentinian provinces UN Program providing 8 countries with financial and technical support to eradicate mercury from gold mining and processing

Gold: Develop biological and chemical treatments to decrease/destroy cyanide, mercury, and other mining contaminants, and alternatives to mercury-based smelting Extract gold from biosolids (sewage sludge) – worth $millions

Gold: Ban on open pit gold mining E.g., Costa Rica Moratorium on gold mining 2017: El Salvador turned decade-long moratorium on gold mining into law

International Labor Organization’s Convention #169 Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries Requires culturally-relevant consultation before appropriation of indigenous peoples’ lands and that indigenous peoples participate in benefits of mining Signed and ratified by 19 countries (but none of major gold mining countries)

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Passed 2007 Mandates principle of free, prior, and informed consent before any mining projects allowed on indigenous land U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are non-signatories

Minamata Convention International agreement among over 140 countries (including U.S.) to be signed October, 2013 Places controls and restrictions on mercury use E.g., Medical equipment (thermometers), energy-saving light bulbs, mining, cement and coal-fired power plants Includes education and public health strategies to identify and treat victims of mercury toxicity

Safe Gold

Consider alternative tokens of affection Homemade gifts (cards, photo collages, videos, poems, meals, home improvement projects) Donations to charities Eco-jewelry made from recycled materials by indigenous peoples Profits returned to local communities, providing wide-ranging social and economic benefit

Conclusions Cut flowers, diamonds, and gold as symbols of love are cultural constructs perpetuated in part by the persuasive marketing efforts of multinational corporations Production involves significant damage to local communities and the environment and harms men, women and children

Conclusions Production supports human rights abuses, armed conflict, and even terrorism Symbols of love should not be constant reminders of death and destruction Consider alternative symbols of love Work for social justice and change

Paper/References Donohoe MT. Flowers, diamonds, and gold: The destructive human rights and environmental consequences of symbols of love. Human Rights Quarterly 2008;30: Available at

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Flowers, Diamonds, and Gold: The destructive public health, human rights and environmental consequences of symbols of love Martin Donohoe.

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