As Valentine's Day approaches, stores gear up to sell flora and confections to young (and older) sweethears across the country. In 2006, Americans planned to spend $13.70 billion on their significant others, and that number has only increased.
Over 20 million Americans will purchase chocolates or flowers for their significant others in the next week. Over 40 percent of the world's chocolate, at least that without labels bearing the mark of Fair Trade or organic certified, hails from the Ivory Coast of Africa. The International Labor Organization and U.S. State Department have reported widespread instances of child slavery.
And those lovely, colorful bits of plant reproductive tissue that we use to show our affection? Most of America's flowers come from countries such as Colombia, and among agricultural crops they are some of the most toxic and heavily sprayed. Directly before Valentine's Day, workers, mostly young women, put in up to 20-hour work days for very low wages. Many of them later develop pesticide poisoning.
In order to promote international equity, conscientious students should consider purchasing Fair Trade and organic products for their Valentine's Day gifts.
-Letter to the Editor, Kasey Swanson
