The amount of land dug up to produce just to find a small piece of diamond is enormous, and doing this much mining is very energy intensive. Because of the defacing of land, abandoned mines are often dangerous, either with the area collapsing or with landslides in the vicinity. Mining may also result in deforestation and soil erosion. In the mining of gold, mercury and cyanide are often used to separate the gold from the rocks. The results are highly toxic chemicals seeping into streams and rivers, causing a variety of disease and illnesses for people living in the surrounding area.
Less packaging makes buying in bulk generally cheaper and less wasteful.
Some cosmetic companies allow their customers to bring bottles back for refills and recycling. Also, some companies are now using less synthetic chemicals and opting for manufacturing processes that are less polluting. Instead of petroleum based chemicals, they are using more natural ingredients. Many companies now offer 'natural cosmetics' which use flowers and herbs grown without pesticides. Reading labels is important to becoming familiar with ingredients.