Friday evening. It’s been a long week at the office. Your limbs are sore, you’re tired and you want to do nothing but relax. You’ve rented a couple of DVD’s, dimmed the lights and you’re on the couch. While your surround home cinema blasts the latest Hollywood blockbuster in your direction you grab for a bowl filled with candy, most of it chocolate, strategically placed within arms reach. “Ah, this is the good life...”
Monday morning. A truckload of goods arrives at your local supermarket – crates from the chocolate factory in your country’s capital. Good stuff, really – they’ve made some new brands recently that you really enjoy. Not really too expensive, either, so when that sugar craving hits, they’re a nice fix.
One month earlier. A shipload of prime quality cocoa beans arrive at a port not far from your home. The local chocolatiers are happy today. They’ve cut a deal with a cocoa plantation in the Ivory Coast, and this shipload is the first of many to arrive from the new partners. Great beans as well, without being too pricey. They’ll be used to market a new brand of dark chocolate targeting an increasingly demanding market for ‘high quality’ products, with exquisitely designed paper wrappings.
One month and two weeks earlier. John and his friends are sweaty. They’ve worked for a week, barely resting. They’ve got bruises and cuts, from working with the rough cocoa plants and sharp machetes. He’s twelve now, and has been doing this for a few years.
Three years earlier. John is purchased at the price of roughly 90 dollars at a bus depot in Mali.
For different and more elaborate takes on this issue check out this post by Hanna, or possibly this post on coffee by Radka.
This is a nice way how to compare. Suggestions and feeling it is bringing on?
This is great, Tomas.
And it’s not just chocolate, it’s everything around us, from the case of that rented DVD to the cotton that has been used to make our sofas look nice.
I like how you linked all this in a clear way!
Good description, soft narration, sharp style… you’re a very good writer, beyond the fact that you highlight the irony of a tragedy.
Very interesting…
@aija: Well, I don’t really have any specific solutions, no. Fair-trade and fair products are definently one way to go, and I like the idea from radkas post about being able to trace you product back to the manufacturer. It’s important though that the process really is transparent, there have been several news-pieces and documentaries during the recent years about how some brand are fair-trade only on papre..
@Giedre: True! I don’t like to moralize, but awareness of the processes we are part of is definently a step in the right direction.
@Nicola: Thank you very much!
A simple but powerful picture. Amazing! Being aware of the whole process pushes things forward.
Loving the style of this post. Congrats.
@Luan: Yes, it does, but it might also drive you nuts at a practical level. Separating “good” from “bad” products is a huge task, and most of us don’t really have the time to research every little item we purchase..
@Clare: Thanks, glad you like it! Hopefully I’ll have time to do some more blogging on the platform in the not-too-distant future!
Wonderful style! I almost envy you and regret I didn’t write such a short, clear, brilliant post!
I hope too you will have more time for blogging (and me - more for at least reading…).
This reminds me about the situation of the famous “black gold”..that means coffee in Africa and in Latin America!
Thanks for the kind words, Radka. Sadly all work an no play these days, but soon!
@Andrea: Yes, definently - the dynamics of the situation applies to most products we sorround ourselves with…
Tomas, looking forward to more of your post.
Hopefully you come back!