The Hidden Cost of Buying Gold | Claudia Vega | TED
In Claudia Vega’s TED Talk, “The Hidden Cost of Buying Gold,” she unveils the often-ignored environmental and health ramifications tied to artisanal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. Driven by her profound love for nature, Vega highlights how this small-scale mining practice, which contributes to 20% of the world’s gold supply, uses mercury—a potent neurotoxin that is irresponsibly discharged into the environment.
Through compelling data, she illustrates the alarming scale of destruction: 130,000 hectares of rainforest have been lost, morphing lush ecosystems into barren landscapes resembling a lunar surface. Vega explains how mercury not only contaminates local fish populations, posing severe health risks to Indigenous communities but also spreads globally, affecting species as far away as Arctic whales.
Equally, she emphasizes the struggle miners face in choosing more sustainable practices amidst economic pressures. Vega’s work centers on raising awareness and educating both miners and local communities about the dangers of mercury, calling for improved traceability in gold trading. Ultimately, she invites us to reconsider our relationship with gold, advocating for the intrinsic value of forests as vital, life-sustaining resources, far outweighing the allure of gold. By connecting environmental health with human health, Vega urges us to recognize that decisions we make today can have profound impacts on our planet and future generations.
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Video “The Hidden Cost of Buying Gold | Claudia Vega | TED” was uploaded on 10/30/2025 to Youtube Channel TED