How to Buy Chocolate for Easter Without Killing Sloths

The document highlights the link between cocoa cultivation and dramatic forest loss in key producing regions, specifically noting that cocoa is the top driver of deforestation in Ivory Coast and Ghana. While it acknowledges a commitment by major chocolate companies and the governments of Ivory Coast and Ghana to 'No New Deforestation' in West Africa, it argues that this effort must be expanded globally to protect biodiversity in countries like Cameroon, Indonesia, and Peru. The guide encourages consumers to use a scoring system based on three criteria: participation in the West African pact, adoption of worldwide shade-grown agroforestry policies, and a global commitment to refuse deforestation cocoa.

• Cocoa cultivation is the primary driver of deforestation in Ivory Coast and Ghana, with the Ivory Coast losing over 85 percent of its forests since 1990.
• Major chocolate companies and the governments of Ghana and Ivory Coast have committed to a 'No New Deforestation' policy for cocoa in West Africa, though the author argues this must be supported by monitoring systems, supplier exclusion, and park restoration.
• The author advocates for a global transition of 9 million hectares of cocoa to sustainable, shade-grown agroforestry to provide wildlife habitats and replace monocultures.
• Mighty Earth evaluates chocolate companies using a three-part criteria: signing the West African pact, implementing a worldwide shade-grown agroforestry policy, and committing to refuse deforestation cocoa from all global sources.

APA

Jones, S. (2018). How to Buy Chocolate for Easter Without Killing Sloths. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/how-to-buy-chocolate-for-easter-without-killing-sloths/

Chicago

Jones, Sydney. How to Buy Chocolate for Easter Without Killing Sloths. Mighty Earth, 2018. https://mightyearth.org/article/how-to-buy-chocolate-for-easter-without-killing-sloths/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jones |first1=Sydney |title=How to Buy Chocolate for Easter Without Killing Sloths |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=28 March 2018 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/how-to-buy-chocolate-for-easter-without-killing-sloths/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jones2018how, author = {Jones, Sydney}, title = {{How to Buy Chocolate for Easter Without Killing Sloths}}, institution = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/how-to-buy-chocolate-for-easter-without-killing-sloths/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }