Our friends over at Global Response have just filed complaints with the Consumers Union and the Federal Trade Commission because Wal-Mart, once again, is greenwashing.

Wal-Mart has been trying to capture more business by touting various environmental initiatives and products. It is a rather smart PR campaign, but unfortunately, it's nothing more than a PR campaign. Wal-Mart cares far more about profits than the environment, and their new "green" gold jewelry line is no exception.

Check out Global Response's press release:

For Immediate Release: September 11, 2008

Groups Charge Wal-Mart with “Greenwashing”
“Love,Earth” Gold is Tarnished

Boulder, CO: Environmental watchdog group Global Response announced today that it filed complaints with Consumers Union and the Federal Trade Commission, charging that Wal-Mart’s “green” claims for its “Love,Earth” jewelry are false.

“It is unconscionable that instead of addressing the planet’s serious environmental problems, Wal-Mart hoodwinks consumers into thinking they can ‘reduce impact on human health and the environment’ by buying gold jewelry,” says Global Response’s executive director Paula Palmer

The mines in Utah and Nevada and the factories in Peru and Bolivia where Wal-Mart claims its gold for Love,Earth is “sustainably mined and manufactured” are not monitored or certified by any credible independent agent.

“Wal-Mart has chosen to publicly endorse mining operations which have significant problems,” says Dan Randolph, executive director of the Nevada-based Great Basin Resource Watch. “These mines emit unacceptable quantities of mercury into the air, threatening the health of fetuses and young children. They deplete water quantity in an arid region, and they will go on contaminating water with toxic metals for centuries to come.”

Denver-based Newmont Mining Company mines Love,Earth’s gold on Western Shoshone lands without the permission of the Western Shoshone. “Wal-Mart claims its jewelry comes from ‘community friendly sources,’” says Larson Bill of the Western Shoshone Defense Project. “But they’ve never talked to us, and we’re the community affected by Newmont’s mines. They should meet with us. We need an independent health study here to show how these mines are affecting our people.”

Wal-Mart’s Love, Earth logo is encircled by the words, the “reduce, reuse, recycle, respect.” But mining is an extractive, non-renewable industry that is, by definition, unsustainable. A single gold ring leaves behind as much as 20 tons of waste rock and tailings that continue to pollute ground water even after the mine has stopped operations.

“The only sustainable gold is recycled gold – your grandmother’s wedding ring remade into a new piece. When Love,Earth jewelry is made entirely of recycled gold, it will earn its name. Until then,” says Global Response’s Palmer, “don’t believe it, and don’t buy it.”
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You can help Global Action out by checking out their action page, and writing a letter to Wal-Mart.