Eat only organic, RFA and/or fair trade chocolate (Day 33)

Hi, my name is Eco Mama, and I'm a chocoholic. 

I love the stuff.  I really think it should be one of the four major food groups.  Give me a choice of a fruity option or a chocolate option and chocolate wins hands down every time.

I like all kinds of chocolate, but I'm especially fond of dark chocolate.  I keep a small stash in my coffee cupboard, for those days when I need a quick fix (which is most days!) 

Chocolate, however, has a dark side.  Farming conditions are not great, and small farm operators are exploited by large corporations.   Thousands of acres of rain forest are cut down, to make way for chocolate plantations. 

I've been feeling a bit guilt lately about the impact my chocolate habit has on the environment, so this eco-challenge was the excuse I needed to justify spending extra money on my treats to ensure that my chocolate is at the minimum, fair trade or Rain Forest Alliance certified.

TransFair Canada's website details some of the more troubling aspects of the cocoa industry.  (http://transfair.ca/en/products/cocoa)  I urge everyone to check out TransFair Canada's website, as it explains better than I ever could, about how fair trade benefits everyone.

Rain Forest Alliance also sponsors and supports shade-grown agriculture (http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/).  I already used RFA certified coffee, but wasn't sure if cocoa was available.   RFA does certify cocoa among other crops.  By supporting shade-grown agriculture, vital rain forests are saved and pesticide and chemical use is lowered.

Of course, the benefits of organic agriculture to our health and the environment are obvious.

I bought my first organic, fair trade chocolate on the weekend.  The store brand I bought wasn't as good as Lindt (what is, really?), but delicious enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.  

I can't wait to experiment with the other brands out there.  Any favorites, readers?