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Discussion
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For most witches respecting and taking care of the Earth is very important in our practices, so why do we buy crystals if they are a non-renewable resource, harvesting processes violate human rights, and cause extreme environmental harm? if you work with crystals, how/why do you justify this? is there really a way for crystals to be sustainably harvested?
this post is not meant to offend anyone, but it is meant to spark a discussion on how we can be more environmentally friendly in our practices
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Should we stop using crystals?
updated 1 year, 9 months ago
2 Members
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Reply
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We should. I did, I think everyone should stop buying them. If you already have some, you can’t exactly re-bury them, so I think it’s OK to keep using them. Also, if you are able to find them on your own, or you find a company that just picks them up off the ground instead of mining them, I think that’s OK, too.
I know that there are mined materials in my cell phone, for example. I know there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. This is just one thing I personally feed very strongly about!
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I mean… crystals are no different than any other good that has unethical harvesting/processing and harms the planet. We have a big push for electric cars and solar power but lithium strip mining absolutely wrecks eco systems, and in other countries the labor used to harvest it is unethical. Most clothes are now made with polyester, and sheds micro plastics into our water supply and is made by children in sweat shops. Even if make our own clothes we have to get the fabrics. In the west we are constantly living off the suffering of others. To nit pick someone’s method of practice as unethical while we continue to consume other unethical products is hypocritical at best.
And I don’t use crystals in my practice.
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i thought about this for a while. honestly i dont know how to feel, i dont have much crystals, i didnt buy any of them, my dad and brother got me 2 and the rest were given by my moms coworker, and i got my selenite from a dried up lake. ive wanted to save up and buy some for myself for a while but im nervous, it just feels wrong.
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I am not heavy into crystals in my practice and instead look to nature to provide plants I can grow or minerals in my yard or neighboring woods I can borrow and then put back. I feel that many are banking on the aesthetic of witchcraft and the soul gets lost. It also does not honor the earth.
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The solely fact that I’m buying things for my practice in a market full of shady people makes me feel bad. Cause I feel like capitalism has such a dirty energy lol.
Anyways. Just don’t over buy . Yeah you don’t need a lot of crystal. Someone could make magick just with intentions so no one needs that much crystals to be a witch. Unless we are talking about a collection.
I try to rock hunt, if not I simply don’t use crystals as disposable, don’t buy them from stores in the city but from native people in my country that collect them themselves. And buy especific and necessary. -
I agree. I was actually surprised to see crystals really take off again, because I’m pretty sure this whole debate was had about 20 years ago. I still have some crystals I bought in the 90s, but I don’t buy new ones anymore, I either use found rocks or just don’t use rocks. It just never developed into a major part of my practice.
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I never thought about this before, and it’s something really important to know! I will reuse my crystals and stop buying just for fun haha😅 (it’s a little hard tho) thank you for this info!🙏🏼🤍
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Simple: I only buy from people who ethically source them. It’s more expensive but idc
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People aren’t going to like this but I have a geology degree and feel obligated to say – lab grown crystals are REAL CRYSTALS. 100% real. The crystal structure is identical and you can use them exactly as you would use a crystal found in a mine.
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I literally had no idea that crystals were harvested unethically. Thanks for educating me! After thinking about it for a while, I think I’ll try collected items. Animal bones I found in the forest, rocks I picked up, sticks, coins, or things I already own. I’m already doing these things, but perhaps I could use them to replace my addiction to store-bought crystals.
However, I still love crystals, so if anyone knows a site or source that sells ethically sourced crystals, I’d love to know.
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Technically they are a renewable resource but it’s a very slow and unlikely process. However many crystals are mined similarly to how diamonds are mined and do involve a lot of Human Rights abuses and issues.
Personally, I only use rocks, crystals, Etc that I collect myself from nature. You may not be able to find some of the more exotic crystals but something like quartz is fairly easy to find in most places. Most “crystals” you buy online are not crystals at all, they are just rocks that are polished and cut into geometric shapes. A true Crystal will have grown over time into the crystalline structure of that specific mineral. Finding one of these makes them even more special and enjoyable.
