Yikes! Palm oil!

What is it?

Palm oil comes from oil palm trees that are mostly grown in Indonesia and Malaysia. It’s found in pretty much everything - from chocolate and animal food to lipstick and shampoo. The reason why palm oil is so popular is that it’s versatile and can be used in a variety of products to expand shelf-life or help with texture. One of the best things about palm oil is the ratio of oil produced per land is greater than other equivalent vegetable oils.

So why is it a problem?

Although palm oil has a high oil per land ratio, its production has led to major deforestation and habitat loss of animals such as the Orangutan, pygmy elephant, and Sumatran rhino. Another result of deforestation is a loss of carbon sinks, which has contributed greatly to global warming. The palm oil industry is also known to exploit workers and child laborers. Ultimately, the effects of palm oil are detrimental to the environment, animals, and laborers.

Look at these majestic creatures. Don’t contribute to their deaths.

Well, what can I do?

Buy RSPO certified products! RSPO, or Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil, has created standards for producing and sourcing palm oil. Some of these standards include making sure the source is free of deforestation, labor exploitation, and the use of fire to clear forests.

You can also check out this cool website which ranks companies based on their sourcing of palm oil!

For more information, go to https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/8-things-know-about-palm-oil