Every Day Is Earth Day At VRAI
Alicia Briggs | April 18, 2023
Alicia Briggs | April 18, 2023
Earth Day serves as an annual reminder to step forward and take action on behalf of our planet. But simple reminders will no longer do - the time to act is now. Preserving nature’s gifts cannot wait for tomorrow. Today is the day to defend, nurture, and protect our planet.
At VRAI, our commitment to sustainability is reflected in each aspect of our business so that we can contribute to a more sustainable planet every day, not just on Earth Day. This is why we sat down and spoke with Ishaan Shah, Human Rights and climate leader and Camila Basurco, green fashion advocate to talk about the importance of Earth Day, and the change they want to see for future generations.
Camila Basurco
Earth conscious, green fashion advocate and VRAI Ambassador
We've taken a moment to speak with Camila Basurco, a VRAI ambassador and founder of the Last, a slow fashion brand that promotes sustainability, craftsmanship and the culture of Latino America. She spoke about the message she’d like to leave behind to future generations, and why Earth Day is important.
What message or promise would you like to pass on to new generations on this day ?
The message I’d like to pass to the new generations is to consume mindfully. To ask questions about what’s behind each product, what is the ethos of brands we buy and are we aligned with those values.
What makes Earth Day so important to you?
Earth Day is important for me because it’s a reminder to cherish and love the planet we live in.
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Ishaan Shah
Human rights, gender equality and climate leader and VRAI Ambassador
It was our honor to speak with Ishaan Shah – a nineteen year old, international human rights, gender equality and climate action leader. Ishaan became passionate about human trafficking and environmental issues at the age of thirteen. His passion drove him to co-found a non profit organization called Stolen Dreams – dedicated to supporting anti-slavery and human trafficking efforts through educational outreach and collaboration with other grassroots anti-slavery initiatives and local governments. In addition to his work with Stolen Dreams, Ishaan holds various positions within the United Nations system; the work he’s doing is truly amazing!
What message or promise would you like to pass on to new generations on this day?
My message to new generations on Earth Day is to recognise the intrinsic link between people and planet; human rights and climate action. Contextualize your privilege and the resources you have, and use them to exercise accountability and dismantle the systems and structures of marginalization, discrimination and violence that allow inequalities in our societies to thrive.
My promise this Earth Day is to renew and reaffirm our life-long commitment to working to ensure that people and planet are put first, and to ensure that we collectively build a fairer, equitable, greener, safer, and more sustainable world for all generations.
What makes Earth Day so important to you?
Earth Day is important to me because it is a reminder of how much progress we have made and how we still have a long way to go. Every day is Earth Day for many of us frontline advocates who are working continuously to promote human rights and protect our planet. So to have a symbolic day allows us a moment to take a step back, to evaluate our advocacy, and appreciate the natural world around us. With the pressures of activism, university, the news, and so much more, Earth Day is an unequivocal reminder to appreciate our planet; our only home.
Our Sustainable Commitment
At VRAI, sustainability and transparency is at the heart of everything we do. From diamonds grown in our own zero-emission foundry, to recycled solid gold jewelry and recyclable packaging, to fair wage employment and no middlemen or markups - each step of our business aligns with our mission.
Driven by our desire to revolutionize a traditional industry, VRAI jewelry symbolizes a movement toward a more sustainable future. We celebrate the impeccable origins of our lab-grown diamonds and fine jewelry. This is why Earth Day is such an important day for us. It’s a day to honor our year-long commitment and to inspire others with our continued investment in caring for the planet.
Beyond Earth Day
For everyone at VRAI, Earth Day is an important date in our calendars to commemorate. But the sustainable practices and initiatives that are discussed and celebrated every April 22nd are simply part of how we operate our business year-round.
How? Let’s start with our lab-grown diamonds. Not all lab-grown diamonds are created sustainably. In fact, most aren’t. Lab-grown diamonds are typically produced in foundries powered by fossil fuels, with a carbon footprint that’s comparable to a traditional mine. That’s where we come in.
We are the only producer of fine jewelry with a True Zero Emission rating, Carbon Neutral Certified since 2017. Our jewelry and engagement rings feature diamonds grown in our own zero-emission foundry. Our foundry converts greenhouse gas into renewable energy, 100% hydro-powered by the Columbia River in America’s beautiful Pacific Northwest.
VRAI created lab-grown diamonds are atomically identical to mined diamonds but without any human or environmental toll. Since we control each step of our production process, we can verify the true origin of each VRAI created diamond. The same cannot be said for mined diamonds, even those that claim to be “conflict-free.”
Beyond environmental protection, true sustainability values both the planet and the people. We are committed to human rights, fair and safe labor practices, and ethical business conduct. Thanks to our vertically integrated supply chain, we can ensure that every member of our team is paid fair wages and has safe working conditions.
Last but not least, to remain a zero-emission business, we offset the small amount of carbon we produce by supporting global causes. We choose to back initiatives and organizations that promote renewable energy and empower disadvantaged communities to help move us all forward.
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