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It's T-1 days to Valentine's Day, and The Green Guide has a list of what last-minute lovebirds should look for in their chocolatey expressions of amore. Here's a breakdown:
1. Certified organic: Chocolates grown with the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers simply don't reek of romance. Choose candy certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Organic Program (the primary organic certifier in the United States), or a USDA-accredited certified (such as Quality Assurance International), to free your love from any toxic taint. 2. Fair trade: A fair-trade-certified label means that the cacao beans were purchased directly from the growers or a co-op of growers at a price higher than the commodity market rate. Certification also ensures that the price paid per pound of beans never fails below 10 cents more than the current market price, while imposing environmental-protection standards on growers, including a ban on the most hazardous pesticides and the use of sustainable growing practices. Child slavery, folks? Not hot.
Rainforest Alliance: The Rainforest Alliance (RA) focuses on how farms are managed, covering all aspects of production, such as environmental protection, worker rights, and the welfare and interests of the local community. To get certified under its umbrella, at least 40 percent of the cacao-growing plantation has to be covered in shade at all times. (Learn how this benefits wildlife preservation.)
Note, however, that the RA allows the use of some agrochemicals when pest-related damages would be greater than the farmer could cope with economically. Pesticides that are banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Union, however, are prohibited. One caveat: Only a minimum of 30 percent certified content is required for products to display the RA label, although retailers are required to state just how much on their products. ::The Green Guide
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