Jewel of the Month: Empress Wu for Earth Day

Nowadays is Earth Day, marking the anniversary of the beginning of the contemporary environmental movement in 1970. I do love a concept, so let us ponder my Empress Wu dragon ring with its spinning lapis lazuli world.

I produced the Empress Wu ring as a symbol of a strong lady, as I explained in this old YouTube movie. Recently, I see this design and style otherwise — more ominously — with the Earth dealing with local climate castrophe as the aim. With this interpretation, there’s a person saving grace: My model of the world might be in the dragon’s fangs but the jaws have not entirely shut nonetheless. There is nonetheless time to make a big difference. If you’re in New York Town, a single thing you can do is show up at the March for Science tomorrow (12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., starting off at Central Park West and West 72nd Avenue). The march is the finale of 10 days of motion coordinated by the New York chapter of Extinction Rebellion. I took element in one more Extinction Rebellion march last Saturday, in an unanticipated way. I was not a person of the 13 folks arrested for nonviolent immediate action, looking at as I have a latest New York Town local climate-associated protest arrest beneath my belt. In its place, I was part of the Pink Rebel Brigade.

Anna Conkling described the Pink Rebels in the Village Voice:

“In yet another section of the group, a group dressed in lengthy crimson cloaks and headdresses, with black masks on faces painted ghostly white, silently and little by little drifted by, keeping on to every other, exhibiting indications of grief and horror in advance of slipping back again into a single yet another. They are portion of the Purple Rebels, a general performance activism group created as a reaction to the global environmental crisis that draws notice to information such as the UN estimation that 80% of men and women displaced by the climate crisis are gals and women.  ‘Our concept about the weather crisis is: We are all in this together. We require to empower each other, grieve the losses, and rise up versus the powers that set gains over the probability of the earth,’ explained Red Rebel member Yana Landowne.”

Our peaceful, stately procession of seven designed a massive influence, assisted by a smaller but passionate activist: 12-12 months-old Avery, who led the way from Washington Sq. Park to Madison Square Park.

The visual appearance of the Red Rebels stopped pedestrians in their tracks, supplying our non-costumed companions the chance to make clear Extinction Rebellion’s mission to curious onlookers. Afterwards, we delivered emotional aid to activists arrested for blocking visitors, seeing about them until finally the police vans drove away.

In any case, likely back again to my Earth-Day-ideal Jewel of the Thirty day period, we all know there are severe, centuries-outdated environmental and human legal rights difficulties when it arrives to mining the metals and gems utilized in jewelry. I’m pleased there are now persons and corporations which includes ANZA Gems, Moyo Gems, Fairmined Gold, Moral Metalsmiths, and Misfit Diamonds working to do that in another way. From my standpoint as a designer, 1 detail I appreciate about completed jewelry like mine is that it’s the best gradual fashion. Gold can usually be melted down and reused. (People who do the job in gold like bench jewelers pretty much sweep the gold dust off the flooring for reuse.) Gems can virtually normally be reset. One of my specialties is redesigns. So the moment the materials are earlier mentioned ground, you can be absolutely sure they’ll never close up in a landfill or burned in a dumpster like #fastfashion dresses. Jewellery seriously is endlessly, even though it may transform kinds numerous instances.

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