Those pesky scientists have done it again… your chocolate choices also have an effect on the environment! But it’s not all bad news you can make sustainable choices when getting that chocolate fix!!
There’s three major implications on the environment when making your choices, the first being the dairy industry. Milk chocolate requires milk from cows, we all know of the study’s from the beef industry how bad cows and their methane are on the environment.
Secondly, coco crops require more and more fertile land as the industry grows, forests are cleared and burned contributing to carbon released in the atmosphere, cheaper chocolates also use palm oil, further contributing to deforestation affecting not only Co2 emissions but also loss of habitat native wildlife.
Last but not least, studies have shown that one bar of chocolate can require 1000 litres of water!!
And what are Chocolate lovers who are environmentally conscious to do?
The key is to eat in moderation, be conscious of excess packaging (Easter eggs are the devil!!). Dark chocolate is also a better choice as it requires far less if not no dairy to produce. Where possible avoid chocolates that contain palm oil.
Shop ethical is a great site rating many brands of chocolate sold in Australia, check it out to help you make better educated chocolate choices!!
