Sugar Savvy

Even though Earth Day just passed, there is no reason why we can’t continue the momentum.  I am listing some earth-friendly chocolate brands that I’ve had the pleasure of trying:

Endangered Species donates a portion of their chocolate bar proceeds to help, well, endangered species. I’ve only formally reviewed one of their bars, but I’ve tasted several of them (including the wolf, panther, dolphin, and rain forest) and have loved them all. Endangered Species makes really good chocolate that holds its own against Scharffen Berger and the like, which is especially admirable when they could be just coasting on their environmental pledge.

Theo 3400 Phinney Bars are fair trade (they pay above the market price for beans so that cacao growers can earn a living wage) and organic. I’ve reviewed some of their line and loved the chai bar. Sadly, I can no longer find this brand in my library’s cafe.

Dagoba bars, sold under Hershey’s artisan confections line, are certified organic, and I’ve reviewed several and tried more that I haven’t formally reviewed (the Superfruit is okay, the Conacado is nutty, and the Xocolatl is too spicy and is not as good as other chili chocolate bars).

Green and Black’s is, I think, one of the earliest chocolate brands to be on the organic bandwagon. I haven’t formally reviewed any of their bars, but I can tell you that their milk bar tastes like the inside of a Cadbury mini-egg.

I don’t know how to reconcile the carbon footprint of chocolate. Unless you live in South or Central America or Africa, you’re not going to be able to have chocolate on a locavore diet. Then again, measuring the carbon footprint of food is so hard (is local better for the environment? or organic? or even efficiently mass-produced?) that it may not be a good guideline. But now, at least, environmental awareness is present in the candy industry. There are now several brands of organic bars out there, and many non-organic companies may have an organic line.