Two weeks and two days until blast off. We leave for Africa on Memorial Day. I started making my packing list this week - you’d think I’m moving there! Our plan is to fill our suitcases with gifts and chocolate once we have all the necessities packed, but based on my packing list I may not have room! Of course, most of the items (bandana, bug spray, flip flops) don’t take up much room so I’m sure it’ll all fit.

Best item on the list: snacks. My friend from Clif Bar was so generous and sent an assortment of treats. I asked for anything without chocolate and that won’t melt and he hooked me up! Thanks Clif!

Scariest item on the list: drop or “flash” money. Apparently it’s a good idea to take a stash of cash for inopportune moments. It’s purpose is to give up or throw on the ground. Yikes!

Now if only I can concentrate on work for the next two weeks!

Our CEO spoke to a business class at Indiana University last week about ethical and sustainable business practices. After the presentation the professor received a comment via email from one of the students, which was passed along to Wayne. I think it summarizes how many of us feel about how we earn a living.

I wanted to mention was how great it was to hear Wayne Zink speak to our class the other day. At the beginning he was speaking about the problem they had with labels and his decision to repackage the bars. He specifically said, “I never want to go down the slippery slope of saying ‘Oh its just business.’” That really struck a cord with me, as a former business major in the process of changing to a SPEA major I thought this was profound and truly summed up the way that I feel and the way in which I’m trying to construct my degree (business with ethics, values and an environmental outlook). I just wanted to thank you so much for that opportunity because it personally showed me that it is possible.

Yes, “it” is possible. Doing the right thing is possible. Being honest and transparent is possible. Sometimes losing a little money to keep your integrity is possible. “It” is also a choice.

Last week we received a very nice note from the Resident Director of a dorm at Indiana Wesleyan University. It’s refreshing to hear from a group of college women who place such importance on ethical trade. Thank YOU for YOUR commitment to making the world better! Without people like you, our mission wouldn’t go very far.

We, the residents of Carmin Hall, a female dormitory at Indiana Wesleyan University, would like to thank you.

We are concerned for the children exploited on the cocoa farms in western Africa, and we appreciate that you produce chocolate made without any slave labor. We recognize the fact that you are committed to doing your part to end the abuse, trafficking, and slavery.

Earlier this year, as a dorm, we voted to boycott the chocolate products produced by many of your competitors because they are not doing their part to implement the Harkin-Engel protocol and introduce independent labor monitors on the cocoa plantations. We eat your chocolate because we appreciate your ethical trading practices.

Thank you for doing your part to make our world a better place.

Five weeks until we head east to West Africa. Part of the preparation for our trip was a visit to the Infectious Disease of Indiana office for an armful of shots. One more round of one of the shots and we’ll be good to go. My arms are a little sore, but I’d rather that than the possible alternative.

If I could go on a slightly political rant for just a minute though…there’s a serious problem with our healthcare system these days. I know what you’re thinking - there’s only one?!?! Get this, insurance doesn’t cover most of the vaccinations we need to travel to Africa; however, they would have to cover my care if I returned with malaria, typhoid or yellow fever. Shoot, maybe they wouldn’t let me return with one of those. They’ve got me right where they want me - vaccinated at full price.

In one and a half months, Endangered Species Chocolate will visit Africa as part of our mission to support humanitarian efforts and to make ethically traded milk and dark chocolate bars. Mark, Nick, Kelly and I will travel to Ivory Coast at the end of May to meet our newest cacao farmers and witness sustainable, ethical farming practices. From there, Kelly and I will make our way to Nigeria to meet up with The Mercy Foundation for a medical mission in Uromi.

Knowing that our partners in Ivory Coast are trained on topics such as child labor, HIV prevention, pest management, environmentally sound production and quality management is one thing. Shaking their hands, giving them hugs, touching the cacao trees and meeting their kids will be an experience I can’t even imagine. In addition to visiting the farming cooperatives, we’ll also go to an elementary school and their village. I can’t wait to share some smooth milk chocolate with the kids (I hear they prefer the sweetness of milk chocolate to dark chocolate).

In Uromi, Nigeria, we’ll be volunteering at a clinic that provides dental, vision, surgery, HIV testing/treatment/education, pharmacy and other services. In years past, The Mercy Foundation has treated approximately 5,000 people during the 10-day mission trip.

Kelly and I would like to offer a special thanks to our partners who have helped support this important mission work: Arway Confections, ELF, Lithocraft, MSI, Belmark, Ecoist, Yoga Journal, Vegetarian Times, Exhibit House and KIWI magazine. It’s really great to work with people and organizations that share our mission.

Check back to this blog to hear about preparation for our trip and to follow us on our travels. As electricity permits, we’ll be blogging from Africa!

What an amazing concept! Earth Hour - join thousands of people around the planet in turning off our lights for one hour to reduce our dependency on energy. There’s just something about being apart of something BIG. A global effort to make this world a cleaner, more sustainable place.

I personally think every hour should be earth hour, and every day should be earth day, but the act of taking time to celebrate is an important part of that. I wish I could be in one of the big cities participating in Earth Hour - to see the large scale effect of turning off the lights. 

The Earth Hour web site offers ideas of activities to do in the dark. I’m hosting a small candlelit party, leaving my lights off at home and at the office. We’ll be celebrating the launch of Green Piece Indy while eating organic dark chocolate, pouring a few refreshing eco-vodka drinks, enjoying the company of close friends and maybe stealing a smooch or two in the shadows.

Naturally, Endangered Species Chocolate will go as dark as we can. We hope you’ll join in the fun too!

That’s right, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) has deemed Endangered Species Chocolate products worthy of the Certified Gluten-Free™ symbol. This important certification indicates that our milk and dark chocolate products do not contain wheat or related grains that prove problematic for those with Celiac Disease, a gluten intolerance.

Certification requires lab testing and a facility audit. All of our milk and dark chocolate products passed the test and our chocolate factory as been inspected, so you’ll soon see the certified gluten-free logo on our packaging, along with kosher, vegan (not milk chocolate products) and organic (not all products) certifications.

We source our organic goji berries in our Organic Dark Chocolate with Goji Berries, Pecans and Maca from Essential Living Foods, a beautiful company focused on sustainability, conservation, social consciousness and delicious organic foods. This short video shows ELF’s goji berries from farm to factory, and highlights the skilled farmers and enthusiastic communites in which the goji berries are grown.

Similar to Endangered Species Chocolate’s ethical trade practices, ELF ensures farmers ethical working conditions. They visit their lands where the goji berries are harvested to ensure the fruit, land and people are being treated with care and fairness. They call it “source verified integrigy. Beyond organic, beyond sustainable, beyond fair trade.” It’s important to them that the sourcing of these fruits has a positive impact on the environment and community. We’re proud to include their ingredients in our organic dark chocolate.

Goji berries are known for high levels of antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. In China the tangy fruit is known to increase “chi” or life force to those who eat them.

My job just keeps getting easier. This week the Humane Society of Indianapolis wrote the blog for me. I am very grateful for their gratitude.

It is truly difficult to express true gratitude. Many times simply saying “thank you” seems incredibly inadequate. I am the one typing this letter but that is only because my four legged friends who you all volunteer in honor of cannot type (at least not that I know of - who knows what really goes on at the shelter when we all leave at night). On their behalf I say a heartfelt thank you. The employees of Endangered Species Chocolate donated well over 100 hours of their time to the Humane Society of Indianapolis in 2007. I can testify that they are experts at handling lots of very dirty laundry and dishes. We go through quite a bit every week adn their help is invaluable.

All of us here at the Humane Society of Indianapolis thank all of you for choosing to volunteer at our shelter… Furthermore, we always look forward to seeing the Endangered Species Chocolate Team here at the shelter (and it is not just because sometimes they bring chocolate with them ).

Humane Society of Indianapolis, thank you for everything you do to help the animals in need in Indianapolis. And thank you for sending a few of them home with us.

Last week was our CEO’s birthday and our production team surprised him with a mariachi band. That’s right, making chocolate isn’t all hard work.

Wayne was completely surprised. He thought he had a boring meeting about public relations efforts. Instead, he went back to check out our new mould washer and found a room full of singing, dancing, noise-makers and birthday cake.

The mariachi band sang a special Spanish/English version of Sinatra’s “My Way” and offered up a heart-felt “¡Feliz cumpleaños!”. Naturally, we all had a great time, especially Wayne who, despite an injured hamstring, worked off some chocolate calories on the dance floor.

It’s really great working in an environment where we all care about each other and enjoy each others company so much.