SIS JOURNAL 8 | SUNDAY IN SCOTLAND AN ECO-FRIENDLY CHOCOLATE MAKER

Sunday in Scotland goes green to save the environment and to ensure the well-being of the workers at the plantations and behind the entire bean-to-bar process.
Nowadays the chocolate industry is harming the planet due to its non-environmental practices in the plantations and when processing the chocolate.

How bad is chocolate's impact on the environment?

Farmers are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly rising demands of chocolate in the world. Also, cacao trees yield fewer cacao beans, especially when older. Just like coffee, cocoa has become a cash crop for farmers and producers. Therefore, to meet demands, more trees had to be grown and more chemicals to be used. Planting more trees suggests monoculture farms that also grow sugar, oil palms, and soy. For that, cocoa farmers chop tropical forests to plant more cacao trees. The conversion of the land is causing massive deforestation. Hence, fewer trees mean an increased amount of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, causing climate changing. Also, it means the disappearance of the ecosystem that houses diverse species and animals. Growers will use chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides that will further degrade the land and ruin the biodiversity.
Needless to mention that to keep pace some farmers resort to child labour which also degrades the human conditions in plantations.

Now, chocolate has its share in affecting the environment. The ingredients used in chocolate, such as milk powder, palm oil, cocoa derivatives, and sugar, are energy-intensive. For example, one litre of milk produces significant greenhouse gas or methane emissions.

Environmentally friendly

Chocolate makers such as Sunday in Scotland are healthier and environmentally friendly for they use pure ingredients and are mostly organic. Hence, when making the chocolate, chocolate makers consume less energy which means no gas emissions as they produce small batches of craft chocolate. Also, chocolate keeps its beneficial qualities.

As an eco-savvy person, I understand the seriousness of the damages the competitive chocolate market is causing. Sunday in Scotland couldn't be part of such practices. Therefore, we cross a long way to source our cocoa beans in specific plantations, and we get to know the farmers. Also, we make sure that they undergo ethical and sustainable practices that ensure workers' livelihood and the environment's protection. In the quest of saving the cocoa production, we support all initiatives that promote environmentally and socially responsible production and processing. These initiatives work hard to limit deforestation.

Packaging and recycling

To fulfil our mission and to be part of world change, Sunday in Scotland promotes recycling as a top priority. We wrap our organic crafted chocolate with thin paper as a sustainable alternative to traditional wraps and aluminium foils.
The craft paper-based package is eco-friendly and approved for food. Since the paper is recyclable then we pride ourselves in reducing waste that will end in landfills or the oceans and seas.
Although every human must save the environment as per their capacity, why not a little treat when doing so? In addition to the eco-friendly packaging, we encourage customers to return the empty cardboard chocolate box in exchange for a 15% discount when purchasing Sunday in Scotland products.

So, how do we recycle chocolate cardboard packages and wrappers?

• The cardboard packages are recycled into new paper.
• The cellophane is recycled into energy waste.
• The small plastic bags can as well be recycled into energy waste.
• The aluminium foil goes with metal waste. 

The Philosophy of Sunday in Scotland One day I took the pledge to unfold the stories of chocolate and the people who worked hard to secure the perfection of that cocoa bean. Therefore, I had a mission that was to take care of what I love genuinely, chocolate.
In a world where hardships, injustice, and downfalls reign, Sunday in Scotland seeks hope and love.
I believe in balance, and that the world holds a lot of bittersweet magic. Isn't chocolate bittersweet magic too?
When I founded Sunday in Scotland, I pondered the positive addition it could bring to the world. It had to be a pure reflection of nature's wonders. Sunday in Scotland mirrors nature's marvels, it respects mother nature's blessings and cares for the environment.

AMER WAHOUD | FOUNDER
SUNDAY IN SCOTLAND JOURNAL