By Anna Zimmerman
The Center for Sustainability hosted a chocolate sampling event in the campus center on Valentine’s Day. There were eight different types of chocolates to sample from six different sustainable and fair trade companies. Around 50 students stopped by to grab some chocolate, of which Unreal’s Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Gems seemed to be one of the big hits. Erika Nash (‘22) grabbed an extra piece of her favorite, Theo’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, which was “some of the best chocolate” she has had. The other brands consisted of Alter Eco, Beyond Good, Tony’s, Dr. Bronner’s, and Candid.
All of the chocolate was bought from Hive, an online store that focuses on ethical sourcing of products, recycled/compostable packaging, and carbon offsets to work towards a “more sustainable and equitable world.” All of the chocolate brands have practices that support both more environmentally conscientious, as well as ethical practices for the people who are involved in the industry. Unfortunately, much of the chocolate industry is entwined with high rates of deforestation, unsustainable use of resources, underpaying farmers, and child labor. Clayton Hardiman (‘22) reflected on this by saying, “knowing that there is ethical and responsible chocolate out there is comforting. It really makes you think about the decisions you make when buying something as simple as chocolate.” ★
