New York - This Valentine’s Day, sweethearts can demonstrate their love for one another and for the environment by choosing flowers and chocolates from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

Most of us don’t realize that 90 percent of cut ferns and flowers sold in the US are grown on farms in Latin America. Many of these farms damage their local ecosystems, often endangering the lives of wildlife and workers with deforestation and the liberal use of pesticides.

Rainforest Alliance Certified flower farms adhere to the standards set by the Sustainable Agriculture Network, a coalition of nonprofit conservation groups dedicated to promoting tropical conservation. In order to be certified, farms must curb deforestation, protect soil and waterways and provide decent wages, housing, education and health care to workers and their families.

Consumers can look for the green Rainforest Alliance Certified seal on packaging at”¦

- Whole Foods Markets, which offers three varieties of Rainforest Alliance Certified flowers: spray roses, gerber daisies and alstromeria.

- Costco, where all roses are now Rainforest Alliance Certified.

- Other retailers like ShopRite and Sam’s Club, which have also started to offer a few varieties of Rainforest Alliance Certified flowers.

A sweet tooth can mean sweet benefits for workers and wildlife when sated with chocolate from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Vintage Plantations Chocolates (www.eChocolates.com) will offer Valentine’s Day truffles made from Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa, flavored with exotic Ecuadorian fruits.

The Rainforest Alliance has conserved 3,706 acres of flower and fern farmland and 100,000 acres of cocoa farmland in Latin America. Over 115 million acres of forests and farms worldwide are Rainforest Alliance Certified through programs in sustainable agriculture and forestry.

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. For more information, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

Contact Info: Media contact:
Abby Ray, 646-452-1939,
aray@ra.org

Website : www.rainforest-alliance.org