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talkingsoupSo.
Everyone who knows me well knows I'm a chocoholic. I love the stuff. Me and about 75% of the population of women in this country, really. I've been hearing over the years of some of the issues with chocolate--mostly that the plants are running out and the genetic strain for natural chocolate is fading because they so rarely replant the beans.
This is one I hadn't heard, though.
The majority of chocolate (I don't know the exact percentage) consumed in the First World is produced in West Africa, specifically Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. Which is odd enough when you consider that cacao is originally from South America. The rest of the chocolate does indeed come from South America and Indonesia. But the West African chocolate is the focus here.
Why?
Because the cacao plantations in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire utilize child slaves to harvest and refine the chocolate.
I won't go into the details of what exactly happens to these kids. You've all hopefully paid attention in your American history classes and know what slavery was like in North America in the 17-1800's. So you have an idea.
Now. I didn't know this until my professor brought it up today in class (we're on Marxism). It bothered me so much that I decided to go home and research it. And yes, the child slavery is a true fact. There have even been lists generated of which companies actually utilize slave-grown chocolate and which don't.
The following are the companies that use slave-labor, know they're doing it, and don't care:
Hershey's--no surprise here. They even have a non-disclosure policy that says they can't reveal where their chocolate comes from.
Mars
Cadbury
Nestle
Lindt--this includes Ghirardelli.
Godiva
See's
Kraft--includes Toblerone.
A couple of these companies, particularly Ghirardelli and Lindt, also utilize cacao from South America. You can usually tell because it will say so on the bar--from Ecuador, usually. This chocolate has a much lower likelihood of slavery, but of course that doesn't rule out exploitation.
The following companies are known to not use slavery, though for a few the issue of fair trade still looms:
Green and Black's--owned by Cadbury, but the company itself is both fair trade and doesn't use slavery.
Ithaca Art Bars--for you folks in the area.
Rapunzel--a brand I've never heard of.
Newman's Own--they've always been good about organic and such, and the chocolate is slave-free, but it's technically not fair trade.
Endangered Species--also in a good cause. Completely fair trade and slave-free
Cloud Nine--another company I've never heard of.
Dagoba Organic--fulfills all three.
Equal Exchange--does what it says on the tin.
There are a couple of companies where there's not enough information to tell what they're doing. Vosges is one of these companies (they're the producers of things like the Red Fire Bar and stuff). They have a page on their website about fair trade and child labor, but the thing is wishy-washy. They do seem committed to other things, particularly women's issues, so there's a good chance that they're doing alright, but they even state on their website that there's no way for them to confirm that their cacao is fair trade and slave-free--or rather, they just don't go to the lengths needed to confirm it.
So, what does this mean exactly? Well, if you're eating a Snickers, Milky Way, Reese's cup, M&Ms, or Lindor truffle right now, it's pretty damn likely that the cacao used to make the chocolate was picked, processed and refined by an eight-year-old slave in Cote d'Ivoire.
Well, I can tell you right now, this is a blow to me. Not only because it means the majority of the chocolate I eat is produced by slaves, but also because the companies have been doing this for years and have made no effort to stop.
So.
As of today, I'm adding Hershey's, Mars, Cadbury, Nestle, Lindt, Godiva, See's and Kraft to my list of companies to boycott. There's only one exception--where Lindt and Ghirardelli are concerned, I'll still be willing to buy their chocolate if I see on the label that it's from South America.
Other than that, this is a complete boycott, not just of their chocolate bars but of their other chocolate products as well. Brownies, cake mixes and so on.
Which means Green and Black's, Newman's Own and Vosges for me from now on.
The only other companies on my boycott list are Coca-Cola and sub-companies (including Vitamin Water) and Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is obvious, but Coca-Cola has a rather lengthy explanation for it that I won't go into now.
I'm also going to make more of an effort in general to buy things that are fair trade because it's just a good idea.
And as a last note, this isn't meant to pressure anyone. It's just something to think about. Also, if anyone wants links to my sources, leave a comment and I'll link you.
Everyone who knows me well knows I'm a chocoholic. I love the stuff. Me and about 75% of the population of women in this country, really. I've been hearing over the years of some of the issues with chocolate--mostly that the plants are running out and the genetic strain for natural chocolate is fading because they so rarely replant the beans.
This is one I hadn't heard, though.
The majority of chocolate (I don't know the exact percentage) consumed in the First World is produced in West Africa, specifically Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. Which is odd enough when you consider that cacao is originally from South America. The rest of the chocolate does indeed come from South America and Indonesia. But the West African chocolate is the focus here.
Why?
Because the cacao plantations in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire utilize child slaves to harvest and refine the chocolate.
I won't go into the details of what exactly happens to these kids. You've all hopefully paid attention in your American history classes and know what slavery was like in North America in the 17-1800's. So you have an idea.
Now. I didn't know this until my professor brought it up today in class (we're on Marxism). It bothered me so much that I decided to go home and research it. And yes, the child slavery is a true fact. There have even been lists generated of which companies actually utilize slave-grown chocolate and which don't.
The following are the companies that use slave-labor, know they're doing it, and don't care:
Hershey's--no surprise here. They even have a non-disclosure policy that says they can't reveal where their chocolate comes from.
Mars
Cadbury
Nestle
Lindt--this includes Ghirardelli.
Godiva
See's
Kraft--includes Toblerone.
A couple of these companies, particularly Ghirardelli and Lindt, also utilize cacao from South America. You can usually tell because it will say so on the bar--from Ecuador, usually. This chocolate has a much lower likelihood of slavery, but of course that doesn't rule out exploitation.
The following companies are known to not use slavery, though for a few the issue of fair trade still looms:
Green and Black's--owned by Cadbury, but the company itself is both fair trade and doesn't use slavery.
Ithaca Art Bars--for you folks in the area.
Rapunzel--a brand I've never heard of.
Newman's Own--they've always been good about organic and such, and the chocolate is slave-free, but it's technically not fair trade.
Endangered Species--also in a good cause. Completely fair trade and slave-free
Cloud Nine--another company I've never heard of.
Dagoba Organic--fulfills all three.
Equal Exchange--does what it says on the tin.
There are a couple of companies where there's not enough information to tell what they're doing. Vosges is one of these companies (they're the producers of things like the Red Fire Bar and stuff). They have a page on their website about fair trade and child labor, but the thing is wishy-washy. They do seem committed to other things, particularly women's issues, so there's a good chance that they're doing alright, but they even state on their website that there's no way for them to confirm that their cacao is fair trade and slave-free--or rather, they just don't go to the lengths needed to confirm it.
So, what does this mean exactly? Well, if you're eating a Snickers, Milky Way, Reese's cup, M&Ms, or Lindor truffle right now, it's pretty damn likely that the cacao used to make the chocolate was picked, processed and refined by an eight-year-old slave in Cote d'Ivoire.
Well, I can tell you right now, this is a blow to me. Not only because it means the majority of the chocolate I eat is produced by slaves, but also because the companies have been doing this for years and have made no effort to stop.
So.
As of today, I'm adding Hershey's, Mars, Cadbury, Nestle, Lindt, Godiva, See's and Kraft to my list of companies to boycott. There's only one exception--where Lindt and Ghirardelli are concerned, I'll still be willing to buy their chocolate if I see on the label that it's from South America.
Other than that, this is a complete boycott, not just of their chocolate bars but of their other chocolate products as well. Brownies, cake mixes and so on.
Which means Green and Black's, Newman's Own and Vosges for me from now on.
The only other companies on my boycott list are Coca-Cola and sub-companies (including Vitamin Water) and Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is obvious, but Coca-Cola has a rather lengthy explanation for it that I won't go into now.
I'm also going to make more of an effort in general to buy things that are fair trade because it's just a good idea.
And as a last note, this isn't meant to pressure anyone. It's just something to think about. Also, if anyone wants links to my sources, leave a comment and I'll link you.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:38 pm (UTC)I showed this to my mom, since I figured it was, well, a pretty big thing, and she said she'd like some links to your sources. She doesn't disbelieve it, but it's kind of something you need to look into for yourself, you know?
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:54 pm (UTC)Here's some links:
Details the issue and has a comprehensive list on fair trade/slave-free companies
Wordy and extensive explanation of what's going on. Somewhat graphic.
Talks about the issue and has a lot of information on the fair trade movement
Actual news item. Excellent and accurate news source all around.
The wiki article, mostly about Africa. Has the history in terms of laws and policies.
Comprehensive list broken down by how bad/good the company is
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:55 pm (UTC)I'll forward these to Mom and take a look for myself, too. Thanks.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:49 pm (UTC)Thanks to where I work I'm a lot more aware of this stuff now :x It's sometimes startling to realize how these kinds of small decisions you make might be supporting something grossly unjust.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 09:56 pm (UTC)Ugh, I know. I came to that realization when I found out about Coca-Cola, too.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 10:03 pm (UTC)I get to hear about a lot of it at random. We've had emails sent to our managers about environmental concerns in some products and such. Most of the stuff we carry are either from local sources or free trade certified, slowly I'm trying to learn more about it. I-I still cannot cut Coca-cola from my life though, so so so addicted to Diet Coke DX I shall try harder :x
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 11:59 pm (UTC)Yeah, I imagine you would working at a place like that. Lol don't worry, it took me forever to kick the Vitamin Water habit. And I'd still be hooked on Coke (wow that sounds awful) if I didn't have a stomach disorder XDD.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 11:03 pm (UTC)Great thing about Ithaca is that they have lots of free trade alternatives for chocolate in various stores.
Free trade chocolate's pretty decent usually (sometimes really good) but other times it is ass-tastic. Never get free trade hot chocolate. It's like drinking mud.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:00 am (UTC)Oh yeah, I love it. It's easy to get fair trade, slave-free, and local products here.
Ugh. Wonderful.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 04:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 11:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-22 11:41 pm (UTC)There's a why, other than most chocolate you can buy in the states is disgusting, that I'm so picky about what specific chocolate I eat.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:01 am (UTC)I tend to like European chocolate better anyway.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:07 am (UTC)It's not just European chocolate in general, because some of that is even worse than American chocolate. And I tend to go for non-chocolate things when I'm there anyway.
--unless, of course, the chocolate has whole hazelnuts. Then I'll bypass anything for it.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:17 am (UTC)It depends on the brand, really.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 04:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-23 09:02 pm (UTC)Mmm, Lindor truffles...I'm gonna miss the 1 lb. boxes of See's chocolates, too ):
no subject
Date: 2008-09-24 03:03 pm (UTC)