When you want to say ‘I love you, and I will be yours forever’, then you can do this in a simple and elegant manner with eco-friendly wedding rings. No golden ones, with a diamond. Did you know that gold mining is one of the dirtiest businesses in the world? Did you know that for one simple golden ring you get around twenty tons of mine waste? Not to speak of the diamonds. Unless they’re dug up in a manner that respects nature and humans, you’ll be buying blood diamonds.

But enough of the depressing news. You’re getting married and you want a nice wedding ring. And there are enough choices.

For starters, you could buy recycled wedding rings. Precious metals can be recycled and the new jewelry is manufactured with non-harmful chemicals and solders. Next to that, these jewelers use green energy. When shopping for recycled jewelry, try Green Karat. They are pioneers in the use of recycled precious metals in jewelry. Their mission is to provide an ecologically and socially responsible jewelry. They have many choices.

You could also try and find an antique ring. These are perfectly eco friendly. You’ll be wearing a ring that was once used by grandparents or great-grandparents for instance(you must just hope that your family saved up the rings, because antique rings tend to become precious and sought after).

When shopping for a pair of antique rings, look around for ones with sapphires. They once were a very popular choice for the main stone in wedding rings, and this trend is returning. If you prefer a diamond for the main stone, do some reading on the subject, to make sure you don’t get a blood diamond.

Another idea for wedding rings is bamboo. Bamboo is a very durable material that replaces itself quickly, which is why it is considered eco friendly. Don’t get the wrong impression. When you buy bamboo rings, they won’t be like the light pale wood you imagine when you think of bamboo. No, you can have them carved and stained in a darker color that is rich and warm. It is not possible to set stones in a bamboo ring, but you can have words or names carved into it. A tip: try finding an artist who works with bamboo. He or she will have more patterns and fresh ideas to help you realize your ideal wedding ring.

Instead of bamboo, you could also go for wood. The British Columbian artist David Finch crafts Touch Wood Rings. He has many styles, colors, shapes and sizes on offer.

And why not think of tattoo rings? They are becoming a new trend and are also very eco friendly. No raw materials need to be used and there is little waste material. The only real waste are the rubber gloves that the artist will be wearing, and they are also eco friendly. With tattoos, you can get creative with the design. You can go for a his/her name tattoo on the finger, or you can just do any design that you love!