Consuming animal products not only involves cruelty to animals, but also violates human rights. Most of us are unaware of the horrendous conditions endured by the people who work in factory farms and slaughterhouses. These conditions are associated with an increased number of cancer deaths among the workers.  Do we really want to force others to do this kind of work to support our eating habits? Factory farms also have overwhelmingly negative effects on the people forced to live near them. Not surprisingly, workers in slaughterhouses can be harmed physically and psychologically, and communities surrounding slaughterhouses have increased rates of violent crime. We also need to remember that vegan doesn’t always mean cruelty-free, particularly in the case of chocolate. More than 70% of chocolate is made from cocoa that comes from Western Africa, where child labor and in some cases, slavery, is common. Fortunately, Food Empowerment Project has found chocolate products that they can recommend because they are not sourced from areas where the worst forms of forms of child labor and/or slavery are the most prevalent. You can learn more here.