Conscious Consumer: Slave Chocolate

One of the most bitter ironies is that no matter how despicable most people find the concept of slavery, their infatuation with chocolate usually overrides any ethical impulses. With the largest supplier of chocolate - Cote d'Ivoire (aka Ivory Coast) - being known to have slaves and indentured servants making up the cocoa-harvesting workforce, it's next to impossible to avoid slave chocolate unless one puts a little effort into it. Here are a few links to learn more about the issue and alternatives (fair-trade chocolate):

• Project Hope and Fairness, with associated blog by Prof. Tom Neuhaus reporting from Africa
• Chocolate and Slavery: Child Labor in Cote d'Ivoire
• Global Exchange: Did Child Slaves Harvest Your Latest Chocolate Treat?
• Is your chocolate fair trade or slave trade?
• One of the earliest explorations of slave chocolate, including company information on their ingredients