Lifestyle
Well oiled
What
From ‘stearamidopropyldimethylamine’ to plain old ‘palmate’, palm oil appears in our food under a number of guises. In fact, around 50% of everyday goods contain it, and it’s a staple ingredient in many processed and packaged foods.1
But are all these names hiding the real truth about palm oil: that it is a significant cause of deforestation and a serious threat to the survival of various species, such as the orangutang?
Challenge yourself to get informed and aim for snacks which contain sustainable palm oil, or no palm oil at all.
Why
Hundreds of thousands of hectares of greenhouse gas-absorbing trees are cleared each year to make way for oil palm trees (Elaeis guineensis), and the fires which are often used to clear the land are a major source of CO2 pollution, turning up the heat on the global thermostat.2
How
You don’t need to boycott palm oil altogether. It seems to be hidden in almost everything we buy, so cutting it out completely would be tricky. Here are some tips on how to make your palm oil consumption more sustainable:
1. Responsible Palm Oil: choose products that only use certified sustainable palm oil (which is grown responsibly and with consideration for the environment and local communities). Look out for the RSPO or Green Palm labels, thankfully they’re becoming more and more common.
2. Do your research: check out WWF's Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard to find out how your favourite brands measure up in their commitment to ending deforestation.
3. Use your voice: write to companies asking that they commit to using sustainable palm oil, and encourage others to do the same. Every voice counts!
4. Palm oil free: while it might be hard to find palm-oil free products, there are some out there: Ethical Consumer have compiled a decent list.
5. Break it down: given that palm oil is found in everything from shampoo to chocolate, completely cutting it out in one fell swoop can be daunting and, well, unrealistic. Break your pledge down into manageable chunks - each week or month focusing on a different area of shopping: snacks; cleaning products; beauty products etc.
References
