This morning I read an Article in a German Magazine about the declining numbers of Orangutans in Indonesia and why these animals are being hunted by Farmers.
I started researching and found several other Articles like this one in the NY Times
Most of them hidden on the web hard to find unless I was looking for them. I am determent not just to share but also to educate my dear friends to escalate the awareness and do my part to awaken the public about this problem.
Palm oil production – palm oil deforestation
Palm oil is driving deforestation. The global production of palm oil is expected to grow to around 73.5 million metric tons in the marketing year 2018/2019, up from approximately 70.5 million metric tons in 2017/2018.
17 million Indonesian Farmers are working in the Palm Oil industry and we can find this fruit in every second article we buy in the supermarket.
The Issue with unsustainable Palm Oil production and its deforestation does not just destroy the Eco System but also has an impact on Human rights and Labor Laws.
Indonesia is the largest producer of Palm oil.
Most of the Farmers are not from that region but come to the forest with the hopes of a better life. They are poor and will fight for their farm with all means.
Native people who have lived in and protected the forest for generations are often brutally driven from their land.
In Indonesia, more than 700 land conflicts are related to the palm oil industry. Major Corporations often persuade the owners of the land with money and with no regards to the impact that they are making on the Environment.
The destruction of natural Eco Systems when you burn down a forest or bull dose it down to make room for more plantations, effects Climate change.
Nature can not sustain the mass production of anything.
Palm Oil Trees grow in warm countries and will take over the Landscape, nothing grows next to it, you are creating a Monoculture that will result in soil erosion and since these Farms are often next to Rivers, they are being overwhelmed with the chemicals that come with large Trucks constantly driving by them and releasing enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
It is not just bad for the Climate but also for any species that lives in that habitat.
As the Forest is cleared more species are declining in numbers and are being pushed into extinction such as orangutans, and the Sumatran Tiger to name only a few.
Why palm oil is bad – what is palm oil in
Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree, and is high in saturated fat, some experts say it’s bad for you because high saturated fat, has long been linked to heart disease. Saturated fat boosts “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. It also is known to damage DNA and cause cancer due to the large amounts of harmful fatty acid esters.
Palm oil is in both frozen and fresh pizza dough, instant noodles, and used in precooked noodles, it will make ice cream smooth and margarine solid, Palm oil helps to make a shiny appearance in some chocolate and gives baked goods a creamy taste and texture. It is also widely used in bread for easy baking.
You can find it in Lipstick because it holds color well and doesn’t melt when warm, it is used in conditioners and shampoos, you will find it in Soaps due to it’s ability to remove oil and dirt from hair and skin while moisturize.
Palm oil-based bio fuels have three times the climate impact of traditional fossil fuels.
- Palm oil is bad because Deforestation in tropical areas accounts for an estimated 10 percent of man made CO/Greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation in Indonesia for palm oil (and illegal logging) is so rapid that a 2007 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report said that most of the country’s forest might be destroyed by 2022.
- Habitat destruction, leading to the demise of critically endangered species
- Cultivating crops on land that belongs to indigenous people in the Sarawak and Kalimantan states on the island of Borneo and the Malaysian state of Sabah
how to make a change – how to make a change in your life
Palm oil is a product and as Consumers we have the power to create demand for a product, which in return creates a demand for the development of the Companies that produce the product.
We also have the power to change how a Company produces and regulates that product. Palm oil is not named in the labels due to lose label regulations in some Countries and makes it hard for the consumer to make an educated decision. It has about 200 names that makes it almost impossible to find.
With the continued consumer awareness and concern to know where a product is coming from, how it is grown where and how it is made, we have the power to speak up and demand change. By wanting sustainable options and creating alternative Communities, by supporting businesses that are working toward that alternative we are creating that change!
In Europe the Supermarkets have categories for palm oil free products, talk to your retailer and ask for it. If we want alternatives, we need to ask for it.
Education is key, I hope that you are reading up on some Articles I have included in my blog because if we are removed from the issue, we do not know how we can help.
Politics, Government, purchase habits and the investment into solutions are all with in our power. Without our purchase nobody makes money and will have to change.
Awareness is important, we are destroying our Eco system and THAT is irreplaceable.
Change your mindset to protect nature because if we just keep taking and not replacing what we take it will disappear. Create a new Innovation for food and Cosmetic Industries .
We cannot relay on only ONE resource we need alternatives.
Give up non sustainable Palm oil
Look for the RSPO label to ensure you purchase products made with certified sustainable palm oil. This label gives you the confidence that the palm oil was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
References
https://www.statista.com › Agriculture › Farming
https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/topics/palm-oil#start
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/by_the_way_doctor_is_palm_oil_good_for_you
https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/biofuel/
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I find it so sad and it even makes me angry that these kinds of things still happen in the world. I don’t understand how anyone could hunt orangutans. Or drive people from their land that way, or continue with deforestation. I do not approve of them doing that and I wish there was some way I can stop them in a more direct fashion, like a superhero.
But I guess all I can do is try to raise awareness and change my own consuming habits. I don’t think I have anything with palm oil because I don’t consume any highly processed foods. It’s weird how they put all this stuff in the food that’s not even good for us and harm the environment in the process. I will tell everyone I can about the rspo label.
I find it so fascinating when I learn something new. There is so much knowledge regarding God’s creature (nature) which we don’t know about. It truly is fascinating to me. Who knew palm trees had oil? I didn’t. My entire neighborhood is filled with palm trees and some have been chopped off because of who knows what. Point is, I would of squeezed its oil if I would of known.
I would like to thank you to the author of this wonderful article. This article summary is very useful & informative. I recently knew that consumers are increasingly demanding palm-oil-free cosmetic and food products, due to the negative environmental impact of palm oil production. But I personally agree with you that RSPO label to ensure us purchase products made with certified sustainable palm oil. It will help us to make our confidence in palm oil production. So, we should buy palm oil from them.