Description

Sustainable Crystals, with Richard Wegner

Who doesn't love crystals?? Join Mark and Kirstin as they speak with Richard Wegner, owner of Wegner Crystal Mines in Arkansas. You can own precious gems and crystals and still maintain balance and love for our earth.

In this episode of Entelechy Leadership Stories Mark and Kirstin speak with conscious leader Richard Wegner, owner of Wegner Crystal Mines in Arkansas. Richard shares with us what it means to be a sustainable mine that produces some of the highest quality quartz crystals in the world.  His commitment is to improve social, economic, and environmental well-being of the community. Wegner Crystal Mine philosophy: “..an enterprise that through its efforts, puts little to no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy…”.

Richard’s established the mine in 1980. His intent was set from the beginning, to extend personal conscious green living practices into all aspects of the business. He was guided and counseled by the local indigenous community on how to create a harmonious balance between giving and taking from the earth and how to interact and care for our planet and nature. This has always been one of the utmost priorities at Wegner’s. Richard describes a way of life aligned with indigenous principles and how he infuses them into all aspects of his life. 

He incorporates the principles of balance between give and take in interacting with our planet and nature. These include several green practices such as incorporating the three Rs’ (reuse, recycle, and reclaim), renewable energies, greenhouse, clean waterways, and healthy thriving earth. 

Other green initiatives:

• Built warehouse taken from the property and milled locally
• Repurpose old barn into Wegner Crystal Mines’ Museum, wholesale warehouse, offices, and tourist destination.
• Recycle area for employees and customers
• Reclaim boxes from local stores to pack and ship orders
• Reuse bags and boxes for tourists’ to take home rocks
• Use leftover paper from a print company for wrapping rocks
• Shred used paper and use as cushioning for packed orders
• Lights Out policy when customers are not present
• Crystals are cleaned with collected rainwater
• Toilets flushed with collected rainwater
• Reuse/Recycle wood when possible for projects/repairs
• Use efficient LED and fluorescent lighting
• Buy bulk, lessening their carbon footprint
• Use solar and wind-powered electricity

Richard also shares ideas to help guide and shape the new generation of leaders on how they can ensure our planet and humanity survive and thrive.

To learn more or experience a fantastic crystal expedition visit: www.wegnercrystalmines.com.

Additional Resources on Sustainability provided by Wegner Crystal Mine:

Rodale Press

http://www.rodalepress.com 

We recommend any publications by them, such as:

“Keeping Your Company Green” by Stefan Bechtel

“Keeping Your Company Healthy” by Kirk A. Johnson

You can find these books and more at

http://www.bookfinder.com/author/rodale-press/  

World

Business Council for Sustainable Development