The Dark Side of Chocolate

I love chocolate as much as the next person. Heck, probably MORE than the next person. But it troubles me to learn that so much of the chocolate we enjoy, and hand out to children at Halloween, is tainted with child labor.

I was dismayed when I checked out the Green America score card and saw who was at the very bottom of the list: Hershey, Nestle, Mars and Kraft. Sound familiar?

Luckily there’s something we can do, beyond just trying not to buy chocolate from those companies (because let’s face it, avoiding candy from the above companies is next to impossible! Even if you don’t buy it yourself, it’s everywhere–at school, work, friends’ houses, in your kids’ trick or treat bag):

from Green America:

Join our fifth annual Halloween campaign against abusive child labor in the cocoa supply chain. With a reverse trick-or-treating kit, kids can go door to door, handing Fair Trade chocolate back to adults, to let them know that you can find chocolates made by companies with fair supply chains.

This year, there are two ways to order Halloween chocolate kits:

1. Kits for individual families are available through Global Exchange for $7.50. Each kit contains 15 mini chocolates, informational cards and an instruction leaflet. Order your kit by October 11 »
2. Larger groups can order kits through Equal Exchangefor $24.50 plus shipping. Each kit includes 150 minis, informational cards, and instructions Order your group kit from October 3- October 7 »

More ways to take action this Halloween:

• Order Fair Trade chocolate to give out to your trick-or-treaters. Check out our Chocolate Scorecard to see which Fair Trade chocolate companies have minis.
• Screen The Dark Side of Chocolate in your community and collect petition signatures for the CEO of Hershey as part of our Raise the Bar, Hershey! Campaign.
•  Join the Raise the Bar, Hershey! Campaign’s Halloween photo-petition contest to send Hershey the message that we won’t accept halloween candy made with forced child labor.

Here’s how the contest works:

1. Write a big, clear message to Hershey on a sheet of paper, orprint out our standard message here.

2. Take a picture of yourself holding your message.  If you’re able to wear your Halloween costume, it’s even better.

3. Email your photo to info@raisethebarhershey.org for a chance to win free Fair Trade chocolate from Divine Chocolate.
Don’t forget to also upload your photo to Hershey’s Facebook wall on Halloween (Monday, October 31st) for extra impact!

The prize will go to the most compelling photo message and will be announced on Tuesday November 1st, 2011.