The chocolate industry's back of house operation may not make you feel so cozy. Chocolate, like coffee, is grown in more exotic climates. With population, thus demand (of everything) constantly increasing, so does the amount of space it takes to grow things and effort it takes to produce them.
Growing cocoa, if done irresponsibly, can encourage rainforest deforestation, child labor, unfair wages, and heavy use of pesticides. This is a sad that chocolate can't help go away!
We can help choose better chocolate practices by choosing organic and fairtrade chocolate. So look for these symbols:
USDA Organic: help ensure your cocoa isn't grown with herbicides, pesticides, and other nasty things that can pollute water ways, the air and your body. It promotes more sustainable farming practices.
Fair Trade Certified: Ensures that fair labor practices are used, and that the farmer gets compensated an honest and livable wage. Also supports good labor practices (no child labor)
The Rainforest Alliance: helps promote saving the rainforest, and not cutting it down irresponsibly to grow crops. Its very hard to get what we cut down back!
These organizations can't change things on their own though! It will take consumer awareness to ensure that these organizations are making the difference. They have helped us with the first step, which is identifying good practices! Now we have to take their cue, and support these practices. Consumers unite! YOUR DOLLAR CAN EQUAL THE DIFFERENCE!
2 comments:
Good to see somebody else is using Rainforest Alliance products. I've been using the Origin chocolate from Costa Rica for over a year. I was the first to use the chocolate in the UK. Both the dark and milk are delicious! Christine
I have tried the dark, so good! I certainly love chocolate, and its amazing how a little bit of awareness can go a long way:)
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