How green is your chocolate?
March 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under A & E, Hot hot hot
For chocolate lovers who are also concerned about the planet, finding the right dark, sweet morsel can be a little challenging.
Pam Schumacher pours chocolate into the machine making Sun Cups at Seth Ellis Chocolates in Boulder
According to Consumer Reports’ www.greenerchoices.org, many of the world’s cocoa beans are grown in ways that are not good for the earth or workers who harvest them.
Much as with commodity coffee beans, workers in tropical regions without access to markets, are paid bare subsistence earnings. In some areas of Western Africa, where most cocoa beans are grown, forced child labor and other labor abuses have been documented.
In addition, new plant varieties that grow in the sun rather that the traditional shade habitat are being introduced. That leads to less biologically diverse habitats and potentially deforestation. Extremely toxic pesticides such as lindane, which is related to DDT, may be used, since the plants are vulnerable to many pests.
It’s enough to make you give up chocolate, but fortunately you don’t have to.
If you live in Boulder County, you have a couple of good local options for chocolate eating that can relieve the weight on your eco-conscience, if not the potential pounds you might gain indulging in the good stuff.
Chocolove
www.chocolove.com
17 different types of premium chocolate bars with ingredients such as raspberries, orange peel or crystallized ginger
Available in natural foods stores and Target locally
Seth Ellis Chocolatier
www.sethellischocolatier.com
Truffles and fine chocolates
Available at Whole Foods, Ozo Coffee, Brewing Market and Glacier Ice Cream in Longmont
— By Cindy Sutter
