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Sure Valentines Day is swell. But now-a-days chocolate and flowers come with a price. A price to the environment (pesticides) and the horrible price paid by the young children who basically work as slaves on the chocolate ‘farms.’
The wonderful people at the Organic Consumers Association have made a list (and I’m sure they’ve checked it twice) of sound places to purchase flowers and chocolates for your sweetie. Or maybe buy some flowers for yourself, you deserve it!
But why don’t you consider a truly sustainable Valentines gift? How about making a donation to the Organic Consumers Association in lieu of flowers or chocolates? Your loved one will know you’re a most caring person after all. Love, Elizabeth Fiend
Source: Organic Consumer Association
Donate to the Organic Consumers Association
Valentines Day marks the biggest shopping day of the year, when it comes to chocolate and flowers. But did you know that by purchasing organic and Fair Trade chocolate and flowers (see our buying guide below), your consumer dollars will no longer be going towards toxic pesticides, child slavery, and farm worker exploitation?
Over 40 percent of the world’s conventional chocolate (i.e. non-organic and non-Fair Trade) comes from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), where the International Labor Organization (ILO) and US State Department have reported widespread instances of child slavery. Exploitation of cacao farmers and farm workers is the global norm in the chocolate industry, rather than the exception.
Meanwhile, organizations such as the Pesticide Action Network point out that commercial flowers, produced in countries such as Colombia, are the most toxic and heavily sprayed agricultural crops on Earth. Fortunately, since OCA first launched it’s Valentines alerts several years ago, half of Colombia’s flower acreage has become Florverde Certified (which requires better treatment of workers and more sustainable farming practices). Taking a step beyond that, there are an increasing number of retailers across the U.S. who are providing organic flowers.
This Valentine’s Day, join with the Organic Consumers Association and our allies around the world to put your money where your values lie and to show your loved ones that you truly care. Please break the chains of industrial agriculture and corporate globalization by choosing Fair Trade and organic flowers and chocolate for your Valentine’s Day gifts.
Check out the Green Valentines Buying Guide…
Valentines Buying Guide
This buying guide includes a list of companies that sell Fair Trade and Organic flowers and chocolate and paperless/ recycled cards, and gifts. Whenever possible, buy local (many of these sites can lead you to local, independent retailers).
Valentines Cards
• Tree Free Greetings 866-873-3373
• Paporganics 800-340-4631
• Green Field Paper 888-402-9979
• Bloomin’ Flower Cards303-443-3591
Gifts
• Local Harvest -find your nearest co-op or natural food store
• Global Exchange
• Fair Trade Federation
• Ten Thousand Villages
• Dr. Bronner’s -organic, aromatic soaps and lotions with an all-one message
• A Greater Gift
• Indigenous Designs -natural fiber and Fair Trade clothing
• Organic Style
Organic Wine
• Frey Vineyards
• Frog’s Leap
• Ceago Vinegarden
• Robert Sinskey Vineyards
• Summerhill Pyramid Winery
• The Organic Wine Company
• Organic Vinters
• Organic Wine Press
• Biodynamic Monthly Wine Club
Flowers
• California Organic Flowers (100% Certified – Next Day Delivery Guarantee Nationwide)
• Diamond Organic Flowers (Prices listed include overnight delivery)
• Organic Bouquet (Be sure to request organic flowers, as most of their products are not organic)
• Florverde Certified flowers come from a unique certification program that improve the lives and living standards of floral farm workers and their families. These are not organic, but are a big step in the right direction. Over 300 million Florverde certifed cut flowers will be sold this Valentines Day. Look for the certification.
Chocolate
• Equal Exchange 774-776-7400 (long-time leaders in the Organic and Fair Trade movement)
• Divine Chocolate 608-251-3766
• Rapunzel 800-207-2814
• Ithaca Fine Chocolates 607-257-7954
• Sojourn 206-281-7052
• La Siembra/ Cocoa Camino 613-225-6122
• Omanhene 414-744-8780
• Sweet Earth Chocolates 805-544-7759
• Shaman Chocolates
February 16th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
DIAMONDS TOO! I hate to break it to you, but diamonds are one of the other worst industries in terms of human suffering. If you already bought or received diamond jewelry, don’t sweat it, water under the bridge. But in the future, seek out cruelty-free (to humans) jewelry makers. I will research this and do an article this summer, just in time for proposal season! ciao, VaLerie K