| The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the largest | | | | toward the north east. Then you realize that you |
| of its kind in the world. Every hotel in Tucson is | | | | really want to be in the north west. You have to |
| taken over. Glamour of the biggest and most | | | | begin to chicken scratch your way over toward |
| expensive gems in the world, everything that | | | | your idea. This is done by making small, every |
| glitters under the sun. What I see when I walk in | | | | day decisions for the most part. Sometimes, |
| there is a slag pile, miles long and who knows how | | | | however, you make a large decision, as we did |
| high. Besides the environmental damage, how | | | | when we dropped our manufacturing in India and |
| much ill treated labor was needed to create this | | | | Thailand. These companies did not work on a fair |
| mess? | | | | trade basis. This move made our hand woven |
| It is just like going into a supermarket and seeing | | | | chains cost between 20% and 30% more, but it |
| all the meat wrapped in plastic without the visit to | | | | was the right decision. |
| the slaughterhouses of Greeley Colorado, or going | | | | I spent a long time with Paula before she died. |
| to the gas pump without seeing the caskets | | | | These were some of the most enjoyable, |
| come back from Iraq. Jewelry is no different than | | | | exciting times in my life. From Paula's point of |
| any other commodity. | | | | view, there is no way to always be on your "true |
| We're certainly far more eco-friendly, fair trade | | | | path." Life is never straight forward. Compromises |
| and responsibility minded than the average | | | | are at every step. You zigzag your way, trying |
| jewelry company, which is not difficult because | | | | your best to move in the direction of, as she |
| the bar is so low. We have fair wages at home | | | | would say, "mainly who you want to be." |
| and support a Fair Trade manufacturer as a main | | | | "How do you know whether you are on your |
| supplier. And we run a clean shop. We have | | | | true path," I asked her. |
| carbon offsets. We recycle. We use green | | | | She explained that her ancestors had created a |
| energy. But it is nearly impossible to be totally | | | | path of a certain width. She could zigzag within |
| green as a jeweler selling main stream, given our | | | | those edges. If she crossed them, her ancestors |
| industry's current state. | | | | would let her know. |
| We are not anywhere near as ecologically | | | | Who are my business ancestors? Patagonia? The |
| responsible as I would like. | | | | Body Shop? Ray Anderson? They were all at the |
| How far can we push the edge and how fast can | | | | beginning of huge waves-but there are major |
| we do it? | | | | differences, too, between what they did and |
| Let's assume that the refiner and manufacturer, | | | | what we are trying to do. |
| Hoover and Strong will take care of my precious | | | | We have chicken scratched our company in the |
| metal needs. I have a source, then, for | | | | direction of our eco and labor values. But there |
| responsibly mined metal. | | | | are huge challenges to being who we want to be. |
| What are the obstacles? The main obstacle has | | | | I have an idea: we could offer a fair trade jewelry |
| to do with our resource base. | | | | line. Helen is working on a new series right now. |
| Suppose I had unlimited resources. I could | | | | This morning we had a conversation that went |
| purchase my own mines and stone cutting | | | | like this: |
| factories around the world. Then I could | | | | "Why don't we make this new line totally with fair |
| implement fair trade practices and environmental | | | | trade gemstones?" I asked. "Then it could be a |
| stewardship. | | | | totally eco-line." |
| Not being able to afford the above, suppose that | | | | "I want to offer it with tourmaline," she says. |
| we started producing jewelry that had only fair | | | | Helen loves tourmaline. We know of no fair trade |
| trade gems and used only recycled silver? | | | | tourmaline sources. |
| We would have to drop our Indonesian supplier, | | | | "Hmm," I say. "Well..." |
| who works on a fair trade basis. Fair trade is | | | | "Why are we not printing our catalogs on recycled |
| generally tied to high eco standards. Our guy in | | | | paper?" she asks. |
| Indonesia tells me that most of the metal he | | | | (Let me pause here for from meta-analysis. |
| buys is recycled, but the rest is bought on the | | | | Anyone married for a long time might recognize |
| open market. It could come from anywhere. | | | | the logic behind this last conversational leap. |
| Then we would have to toss out close to a | | | | Friends call it, "The Helen and Marc Show." But it is |
| hundred percent of our gemstone choices. We | | | | also indicative of the strength in our company. We |
| get these from suppliers out of Jaipur, India. They | | | | both are passionate and we both push each other. |
| meet a particular price which makes our pieces | | | | Plus, Helen has a solid bullshit meter, which is highly |
| affordable to the middle class. These stones are | | | | calibrated for me.) |
| simply not available as a fair trade item... yet. | | | | "Our sales rep at the paper company told us it |
| Essentially, we would be starting a new company. | | | | could at least double the cost. That's forty |
| Given that there is no strong market established | | | | thousand dollars instead of twenty. We have not |
| for our perfect eco, fair trade jewelry, our | | | | even been able to afford to give raises this year. |
| chances of survival would be slim. | | | | I am thinking that we can donate money for tree |
| As I mentioned in my circle-based business article, | | | | planting to offset our catalogs." |
| our economy depends upon relationships that are | | | | I do not know how these things will work out. But |
| built upon fair and equitable exchange. If there is | | | | you see, there are difficulties every step of the |
| no established structural basis for this exchange | | | | way. Even simple decisions are easy for many |
| to take place, then survival is tenuous. Too much | | | | companies, for us to become major philosophical |
| change can destroy the circle. Such a move would | | | | expressions of core beliefs. |
| be irresponsible for my employees and the | | | | Thus, we zigzag, trying to chicken scratch our |
| customers we have built a relationship with. | | | | way-trying to be "mainly who we want to be." |
| The one way out is to gradually begin to shift our | | | | It comes down to shifting sands: what are the |
| company in the direction that we want to go. | | | | compromises you are willing to tolerate? We |
| One of my teachers, Paula Underwood,spoke of | | | | moved to a fair trade jewelry manufacturer but I |
| the "Chicken Scratch Path." She would draw a | | | | choose not to pay extra for the paper? Does |
| diagram on a circle, like chicken feet. She | | | | that make sense? |
| explained that ultimately, every decision is a binary | | | | What may be learned from this? How does a |
| decision that is leading one direction or another. | | | | business chicken scratch their way without getting |
| Suppose you go five hundred miles, more or less | | | | lost and without ancestors? |