Sustainable chocolate: A Valentine's Day gift for the planet
MIAMI - If you've stepped into any supermarket in the past few weeks, you've likely passed by red and pink greeting cards, heart-shaped balloons and shelves upon shelves of chocolate.
And for good reason, these chocolates satisfy the sweet tooth of millions of Americans on Valentine's Day.
In fact, around 58 million pounds of chocolate are consumed on this "Day of Love" each year, according to WorldWildLife.org. But behind all the truffles and turtles lies a not-so-sweet truth: chocolate has a significant impact on the environment.
Chocolate's carbon footprint
"Producing about 2.2 pounds of chocolate can create about 42 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions," explains Kwane Osei, the Senior Director of Global Programs at the Rainforest Alliance.
Chocolate ranks as one of the least sustainable foods, according to OurWorldInData.org, trailing only behind beef, lamb and dairy in greenhouse gas emissions. This substantial environmental footprint is due to deforestation, excessive pesticide use and carbon dioxide emissions.
"Clearing a forest to plant cocoa releases a large amount of carbon stored in the trees, so deforestation is a major contributor to chocolate's carbon footprint," Osei states. "We take a lot of nutrients from the soil; for that matter, you experience soil degradation. They also use pesticides and fertilizers that can lead to contamination of water sources."
A more sustainable way to enjoy
But you don't have to give up chocolate entirely to be more eco-friendly this Valentine's Day. There are more sustainable options right here in South Florida that will leave less of an environmental aftertaste.
Benjamin Fogel, for example, is the owner and chocolatier behind Ben B Coco, a local chocolate factory in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.
Benjamin prides himself on sourcing cocoa from farms that focus on sustainable practices, like agroforestry, which helps protect forests, conserve soil and encourage biodiversity.
"We buy the premium ingredients from the farmers directly and we try to avoid the carbon footprint," he describes after a full morning of prepping chocolate. "The chocolate we buy specifically is from farmers in Peru and Ecuador, very small farmers. They are not using any harsh chemicals."
And no environmentally harmful additives, like commonly used palm oil, which is also a major driver of deforestation.
Sustainability without sacrificing taste
Fortunately, choosing organic and sustainably sourced chocolate doesn't mean sacrificing rich, indulgent flavor.
A customer walking around the chocolate shop tries a sample. "Mmmmmm, delicious, so good," she exclaims.
"Wow… Amazing, really good," another customer says as they bite into a piece of chocolate.
Not sacrificing taste, all while being a little more loving towards Mother Nature on this Valentine's Day.
