TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: barkTHINS Chocolate Bark

barkTHINS: thin and rich. Photo courtesy Ripple Brands.   There are several reasons to love barkTHINS: The delicious varieties, crammed with inclusions* (see the list below). The thin pieces that, unlike conventional bark, let you have half as much. The Fair Trade certification (FairTradeUSA.org) that helps poor farmers. The everyday affordability (yet it’s great for…
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GIFT: Gourmet Cocoa And Hot Chocolate

Winter Hot Chocolate is a classic cocoa mix with a touch of vanilla. Photo courtesy Lake Champlain Chocolates.   “Forget Christmas gifts this year,” said our friend Gerard, when he called to invite us to his annual party and gifting frenzy. “At this point in our lives, none of us needs another scarf, another basket…
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GIFT: Divine Fair Trade Chocolate

Most of the world’s farmers live in poverty. They’re forced to accept whatever brokers want to pay them for their crops. Fair Trade ensures that farmers are paid fair value for their crops. This affords a minimum standard of living, money for adult (instead of child) labor and the ability to farm with sound (sustainable)…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Buy A Fair Trade Product

October is National Fair Trade Month, so today’s tip is to buy something that’s fairly traded. Most people don’t understand Fair Trade. One of the reasons is that, unlike the USDA Certified Organic Seal that appears on all organic product packaging—regardless of the particular certifying agency (there are certifiers in every state)—the different Fair Trade-related…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Buy A Fair Trade Product For World Fair Trade Day

Look for a small Fair Trade logo that identifies fairly traded products. Photo courtesy Green Mountain Coffee.   Today’s tip is to purchase a Fair Trade product. May 11th is World Fair Trade Day. Fair Trade is a practice that seeks to aid economically challenged, small-scale farmers around the world. Many of them labor in…
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