Poisoned Chocolates

Chocolate lovers are all over the world, and it’s a common thing to love because it depicts love and affection. I’m sure many of us have bitten into a delicious piece of chocolate that and felt momentarily lifted. However, the ones that have not been able to experience this delightful taste are the children that are working and laboring to make the chocolates that are so commonly eaten in wealthier nations or by the wealthier. Anyway, I came across some facts that I think chocolate lovers should consider when they next decide to sink their teeth into a savory chocolaty delight. The United States State Department found that 15,000 children have been sold to cocoa, cotton, and coffee plantations in the Ivory Coast (where about half the percent of the chocolate comes from).

These children are not even paid well enough to sustain living or even feed themselves; chocolate is sold at such low prices (40cents per pound, and each pound takes about 400 cocoa pods to make), that these children are barely getting any money. It seems horrible, but there are things we can all do about this. Hershey’s and M&M control about 2/3rd’s of the $13 BILLION industry. Now, IF they were to support free trade, then all the workers that produce these chocolates would get at least 80cents per pound. It does make a difference; 40 more cents amount to a lot as it accumulates.

However, these two enormous companies deny any responsibility for what is happening to these children. I’m sure if we all joined together and gave them a call (M&M: #800-551-0907, and Hershey’s: #800-468-1714) and questioned them about supporting free trade, and told them we did not want to support child labor it would make a difference. If we all urged our school principal’s or deans to stop buying from these companies and supporting child labor it would hurt their industries and they would reconsider supporting fare trade. It would make a difference in the future of those children that are sold into doing this work. It would make a difference in our world, and even our lives.

Anyway, there are several resources to learning about fair trade and about the chocolate industries. Please take some time to learn more if you would like at: www.globalexchange.org, www.fairtraderesource.org, www.fairtradefederation.org, and www.equalexchange.com. And Support Fair Trade! I just got a link that will help you locate places near you that have fair trade products near you! So if you are interested in buying, visit: http://transfairusa.org/ !

And I would like to thank Global Kids, Inc. for handing out pamphlets that helped me put together some of the information/statistics I put here! Thank you!!! And thank you for supporting student awareness and fair trade!