Sustainability Profile: Chocolate

Sustainability Profile: Chocolate - Sustained Kitchen

Chocolate: the classic flavor that (mostly) everybody loves. Whether you grab super milky, extra dark or somewhere in between, all products labeled “chocolate” in the U.S. are made from cocoa beans. In this post, I’ll tell you all about the sustainability issues associated with growin’ cocoa.

 

Working Conditions

The most talked about issues in the cocoa industry are the poor working conditions. For starters, farming cocoa is really hard work and v labor intensive. On top of that, many cocoa farmers are super poor (read: less than a dollar PER DAY), susceptible to sudden price drops or forced into child labor. 

Although wages have risen since 2015, the state of cocoa farming is obviously still supes upsetting. Making the sitch even worse, certification groups like Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance haven’t been able to make a ton of progress on improving these issues. 

Still, I recommend buying cocoa or chocolate that has been certified by Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance or another reputable organization because these people are trying to help create a better cocoa industry. 

Bad Farming practices

Some cocoa farmers give in to bad farming practices (reckless slash and burn, chemical fertilizers…) under the pressure of big corporations. This has led to widespread deforestation, which is contributing to climate change and habitat loss. No good. 

The Rainforest Alliance’s mission is to protect forests, so look for that lil’ certification logo to make sure that the cocoa in your chocolate isn’t contributing as much to deforestation. 

Travel

Most cocoa is produced in West Africa, so your chocolate has probably traveled pretty dang far to get to you if you live in the U.S. Through these travels, a bunch of GHGs are released, which contribute to climate change. 

However, don’t write chocolate completely off you list just because it’s not local. Supporting sustainable global practices can help encourage more sustainable production in the future, which can help out farmers around the globe.

Just keep that distance in mind and try to save chocolate for a special treat, not an everyday snack.

Bottom line: Forever and always go for sustainable chocolates, like Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance certified.