Palm Oil Facts & Why It Doesn’t Have To Be Bad

You hear it all the time, palm oil is bad. But does it really effect you?

While it may not directly impact your day, it is wreaking havoc on the environment. Before you think this is just another ‘boycott palm oil’ article, STOP, this is not the case. It is about awareness.

Palm oil – the good and the bad

You work hard for your money so you can buy the best products available. But are they really?

It might surprise you to know that over 50% of the goods supermarkets have for sale contain palm oil. That is a lot! It is safe to assume that you don’t even realise you’re buying it because it is found in everyday products like margarine, chocolate, donuts and cookies. How could stuff that taste so good contain something so bad? Right?

Well it doesn’t end there. Odds are, it is also in your favourite lipstick, soap, shampoo, dishwashing liquid and even baby products. You can read more about that here.
Did you know: Approximately 70% of the world’s cosmetic and household detergents contain raw materials that are derived from palm oil! This rate is expected to nearly double by the year 2022 from 74.01 million tonnes to 128.20 million tonnes.

What is good palm oil?

So maybe you are wondering what the difference between good and bad palm oil is. Doesn’t it all come from the same place?

Good palm oil is not only beneficial for the environment but local communities also benefit. Sustainable practices allow farmers to make more palm oil with less land which results in increased income. But it isn’t all about the money; when it’s grown sustainably, palm oil production helps protect the forests and the species that call it home.

What is bad palm oil?

When palm oil is grown unsustainably, it has devastating effects on the people and the ecosystem. It can result in forests being destroyed, along with the homes of animals like the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger. Eventually this is cause these gorgeous animals to become extinct and that just isn’t right when something can be done to change it!

 

Certified palm oil

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is committed to achieving 100% certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). Due to the disastrous effects that the production of bad palm oil is having on the environment, they feel it is not just an ambition, it is crucial. This will ensure air pollution and forest destruction is reduced to help protect valuable species and forests; in turn the animals that inhabit these regions will also be saved.

The good news is that 13 countries around the world already have RSPO certified producers. This translates to a whopping 2.9 million hectares of land and in addition to this, there are many companies already displaying the RSPO trademark on their product packaging. These companies deserve a round of applause!

Why do we use it?

If it is so bad for the environment, why do we still use it?

Palm oil is extremely popular for a few reasons. It is fantastic to cook with because it holds its properties even under high temperatures. Its smooth and creamy texture makes it the perfect ingredient for many recipes; this includes ice-cream, noodles and even your favourite baked goods such as cookies. This doesn’t mean ALL of these products are made with palm oil, or more importantly bad palm oil!

What you can do!

Change is happening, whether you see it or not. Let’s help build the momentum and say YES to good palm oil. Let’s put pressure on the industry to change. We, collectively can make a difference!

Show your support by:
• Sharing this information on social media using the hashtag #GoodBadPalmOil.
• Approach your favourite brands to make the move to sustainable palm oil.
• Telling your friends!

Learn more by visiting: http://goodbadpalmoil.org/. Follow the progress on Facebook, Twitter and by subscribing to the RSPO YouTube.

You have a choice between good and bad. Let’s make sustainable palm oil the new normal.

Where do you stand on the palm oil debate?

This is an S1 POST.

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