October 22nd, 2007

It may seem like an unlikely pairing, but a chocolate maker – just in time for Halloween – is offering a way for you to help protect endangered animals, eco-systems and people. To be more specific, Endangered Species Chocolate is providing support via their special bags of bite-sized chocolates. They give 10 percent of their profit to “support species, habitat and humanity,” around the world, according to their website.

The company, founded in 1993, has always given away a hefty chunk of their income to support efforts to save the world’s tens of thousands of endangered or threatened animal species. They also work to promote care for the environment and to provide assistance for people in need. They note that their chocolate is 100 percent “ethically traded,” with all-natural ingredients from shade-grown cacao harvested by farmers who earn a “fair wage in humane working conditions.” In addition to the Halloween treats (a 24-piece bag is $6.72, or buy 3 bags for $18.50), the company has a variety of chocolate in different sizes. So now, you can make a trick-or-treater happy and do a little good for the Western lowland gorilla at the same time.

– Melissa Segrest