Why do we love chocolate?  Maybe it’s that sense of guilty pleasure — I’m doing something naughty, combined with that love-triggering chemical, phenylethylamine. Or, as a dark chocolate lover, it’s the hit of oxidation skin derives from bioflavonoids — (right, it must be that).  For mouthwatering, guilt-free chocolate, enjoy Fair Trade and certified organic chocolate — workers are treated fairly, and you don’t have to think about nasty toxins polluting your body or Earth.  Here are a few personal faves that fit the bill:

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Lifebychocolate.com – located in Greenville, a quaint town in upstate NY.  Uniquely local, handmade and vegan: truffles, bars, organic cherry cordials and other perfectly sinful confections. Or dip into a decadent experience of another kind, the low calorie and relaxing, chocolate bath fizzies (4-pack, $7)

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MoonStruckChocolate.com – LOVE Letters ($12.50);
hugs and kisses with solid X & Os in milk or dark chocolate ($10);
a perfectly elegant, valentine collection of truffles ($10)

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UliMana.com – a mad, raw truffle adventure: goji cherry, hemp, peppermint and more ($15/jar)

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Coco-Zen – blissful chocolate lip and body treats: chocolate salt scrub, soap, lip balm and lotion, ($4.50 – $40)

Here’s to a red hot, deliciously green valentine’s day!

Friday the 13th Update: Do you feel lucky? lifebychocolate giveaway

Oh, what a tasty bowl of corporate hypocrisy!  Kellogg has decided to drop Olympic medalist and bong boy Michael Phelps over that picture of him partaking of a little ganja from a festive, fruit-colored bong.  Let’s ignore for uno momento the fact that Kellogg has previously had no problem with Mr. Phelps publicly ingesting vast quantities of equally intoxicating and more vile, alcohol.  What about Kellogg’s own propensity for foisting sugar laden, health endangering confections such as Cheez-Its, Pop Tarts, Eggos, Fruit Loops and my personal favorite – Kellogg’s Disney Hannah Montana cereal with strawberry milkshake flavoring – on the impressionable kiddies of America?

Remember kids, we’re told unbridled marijuana use can (more…)

• The quintessential no-brainer…U.S. Urged to Save Forests to Curb Climate Change – reuters
• I wonder how Michael Phelps’ pets are doing?  Don’t Smoke, It’s Bad for Your Pet’s Health – the guardian
• What Kind of Green Jobs Will Stimulus Spawn? – npr
• (video) ‘Arctic Unicorns’ in Icey Display – bbc
• Obama Reverses Bush in Pollution Case – msnbc
• Did that tree move? Trees Migrating North Due to Warming – natgeo

New to the eco savvy style scene is a line of beautifully handmade purses, totes, messenger bags and iphone cases from ZAUM.

Above, L – Zaum’s Eco-Lola purses are made with undyed or vegetable dyed felt exteriors and certified organic cotton interiors.  Perfect for stepping out with only the bare necessities – keys, lipstick, phone and wallet. Approximately 8″ x 4″ x 7″.  With inside pocket and magnetic snap closures. click here for interior details and colors. ($95)

Above, R – The Eco Speza is a roomy and reversible carry all, solid on one side and dual-colored on the other; super durable and (more…)

If popular, this robotic electric greens keeper may ultimately have a negative effect on green jobs creation, though the company contends it will allow golf course employees to do other tasks.

The RG3 utilizes proprietary positioning tech that is said to go beyond GPS to do precision mowing without the aid of a pesky human operator.   A golf course superintendent programs in his specs, sets-up 4 bowling pin-sized beacons and the robot mower cuts the green with the same scary precision every time.  Hopefully, this is overkill for your suburban backyard.
more info @ precisepath.com

Are electric bikes about to take the next logical step to solar charging?  U.K. e-bike maker, Powacycle, is developing a solar charging system for its Infineum range of e-bikes that could reduce the need for a plug-in umbilical cord.

The solar charger will be built into a module that can be attached to the battery in the luggage rack of the Infineum’s stackable battery system.  When on the move the solar panel is closed and the charger looks like an extra battery.  When the bike is stationary the charger can be opened revealing three high efficiency polycrystalline solar panels which have a combined rating of 15W at 0.4A.  For security reasons I wouldn’t park it on a NYC street, but it is a great idea for getting further off-grid.

via: bikebiz.com

• It all adds up…States: More Bottle Deposits Make Cents – msnbc
• Australian Bushfires Kill 135, Dozens Missing – reuters
• A product’s ‘green’ reputation is everything…Green Purchasing Up Despite Economy – livescience
• (video) Judd vs. Palin Over Animal Rights – msnbc
• Did someone say buy American? Nissan Joins U.S. Carmakers in Seeking Federal Fuel Efficiency Loan – bloomberg
• Someone’s writing good headlines…Oldest Human Hair Found in Hyena Poop Fossil – natgeo
  

Clearasil is, like, so 1999.  A new and utterly modern brand of ethical skincare products made for teens and twenty-somethings is really making waves in the U.K.  The skin-friendly line, called Face Boutique, has been featured in countless magazines, was a sponsor of the UK premiere of Twilight, and is sold at the cult beauty store SpaceNK.

Face Boutique is made without harmful chemicals and comes in packaging that is so pretty you could decorate your bathroom with it.  A few highlights of the line include: Fresh Faced Oil-Free Moisturizing Gel, with zinc-rich Smithsonite to regulate sebum, prebiotics to reduce breakouts and strawberry extract to tone; Spot-less Blemish Gel, with witch hazel to reduce blemishes; and the Peachy Clean Foaming Facial Wash that promises to be gentle but effective on troubled skin.  The line is available in the U.S. online @ www.futurenatural.com

You may have stumbled across the infomercial for this product in the last couple of months.  The Obama Presidential Coin Collection is a classic example of infomercial marketing.   Take coins that are in reality worth no more than their face value, feed on the emotion and glee of those excited by our new president, add a worthless overlay image of our illustrious new prez and start making collectibility claims.  Oh, “only” make a few million of ‘em so they can be defined as limited edition and charge bamboozled consumers $19.99 worth of “Change” for the honor of owning the mementos.  Include a half-dead looking celebrity shill like Montel Williams to make speculative claims as to the coins’ future value as collectibles, and stir briskly.

Susan Headley on About.com quotes Scott A. Travers, author of The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual about the future value of (more…)