Conventional chocolate is often produced by clear-cutting rainforest land, applying chemical pesticides and through the use of child labor in hazardous conditions. However, a number of companies now offer organic, sustainably-grown and "fair trade" varieties that adhere to environmentally and socially responsible production and processing standards. Pictured here: some offerings from Endangered Species Chocolate, Dagoba and others. Photo: Jason Kremkau.
ear EarthTalk: I heard a reference to “Earth-friendly chocolate” and was wondering about what goes into chocolate that would raise environmental concerns.
--Ben Moran, Providence, RI
Like coffee beans, the cacao seeds from which we derive chocolate can only be grown successfully in equatorial regions--right where the world's few remaining tropical rainforests thrive. As worldwide demand for chocolate grows, so does the temptation among growers to clear more and more rainforest to accommodate high-yield monocultural (single-crop) cacao tree plantations. What are left are open, sunny fields with dramatically lower levels of plant and animal diversity. Adding environmental insult to injury, most cacao plantations use copious amounts of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides that further degrade the land that once teemed with a wide variety of rare birds, mammals and plants.
Putting pen to paper to say "I love you" is both a lot harder (do you have to sound poetic?) and a lot easier (no, you don't have to sound poetic) than it seems. It's also a surprisingly powerful way to express feelings that makes both the reader and the writer understand what those three little words really mean. Don't know where to begin? First, close your eyes, meditate, and listen to all the ways and reasons you love the people you love. 
t may be hard to believe but I went without chocolate once for nine months. I was pregnant and determined to eat only "healthy" foods. My diet consisted of organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, with nary a chocolate bar in sight. The morning sickness (which, by the way, is all-day sickness) made quitting cold turkey seem fairly easy until it wore off four months into the pregnancy and the cravings began. I soon learned that while my house was a chocolate-free zone, out in the real world temptation was everywhere. 
ongs of love abound around Valentine's Day, but it's not the only time that you can hear soulful tunes. Thanks to some melodic birds, the air is filled year-round with sweet, light songs.
hether you're the type of person who likes to learn a little about a subject or someone who goes whole hog, try massage. Now seen by some as a true holistic alternative medicine, the types and purposes of massage are varied enough to appeal to most anyone. An upstate New York teacher says her husband goes every week for an hour and a half. "He feels this is one of the only times he is actually able to 'empty his mind' of the week and finds that very beneficial to his health and to his productivity at work (as an ad director)."
un on Valentine's Day doesn't have to stop when school lets out. Gather your kids and their friends for a hands-on Valentine's Day project that will give them another way to spread sweetness. A paper mouse with a lollipop tail that's sure to turn "eek" to "easy."
