PALM OIL. - Research provided by the experts - ‘SayNotoPalmOil.com’ .
Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil that is derived from the palm fruit, grown on the African oil palm tree. Oil palms are originally from Western Africa, but can flourish wherever heat and rainfall are abundant. Today, palm oil is grown throughout Africa, Asia, North America, and South America, with 85% of all palm oil globally produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia; but most of the time not using sustainable measures.
The industry is linked to major issues such as deforestation, habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty and indigenous rights abuses in the countries where it is produced, as the land and forests must be cleared for the development of the oil palm plantations. According to the World Wildlife Fund, an area the equivalent size of 300 football fields of rainforest is cleared each hour to make way for palm oil production. This large-scale deforestation is pushing many species to extinction, and findings show that if nothing changes species like the Orangutan could become extinct in the wild within the next 5-10 years and Sumatran Tigers less than 3 years.
A large proportion of palm oil expansion occurs at the expense of biodiversity and ecosystems in the countries it is produced. Currently, a third of all mammal species in Indonesia are considered to be critically endangered as a consequence of this unsustainable development that is rapidly encroaching on their habitat.
Deforestation for palm oil production also contributes significantly to climate change. The removal of the native forests often involves the burning of invaluable timber and remaining forest undergrowth, emitting immense quantities of smoke into the atmosphere and making Indonesia the third highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.
The palm oil industry has been linked to major human rights violations, including child labour in remote areas of Indonesia and Malaysia. Children are made to carry large loads of heavy fruit, weed fields and spend hours every day bent over collecting fruit from the plantation floor. Heat exhaustion and cuts and bruises from climbing thorny oil palms are commonplace in these cases, and more than often not, children receive little or no pay for their efforts.
As a consumer, you can help to reduce your contribution to deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra through making some simple lifestyle changes.
'Say No to Palm Oil' was formed in 2010, with the aim of educating consumers about the palm oil crisis and providing them with ways in which they can help.
THEIR MISSION: to empower consumers with the information, tools and resources necessary to help them put an end to the social and environmental impacts of conflict-palm oil and to be part of the solution.
THEIR VISION: to have awareness of conflict-palm oil increase significantly amongst the general public and thus bring about positive change in consumer behaviour to benefit the forests, wildlife and people of Borneo, Sumatra and other affected areas.
They have developed a program called the "28 Day Palm Oil Challenge" to guide people through how they can make small lifestyle changes just like these and ultimately lead more sustainable, ethical and healthful lifestyles. See Take the Challenge for more information.
For further information, please contact ‘SayNotoPalmOil.com’ : - http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/index
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Producers,
please 'Get Certified' if your appropriate product
is NOT using 'Palm Oil'.
Retailers,
please prioritise the Sale of appropriate products which display the Certified 'Palm Oil Free' logo.
Consumers,
please look out for the Certified 'Palm Oil Free' logo, when you buy appropriate products.
Reference: - www.palmoilfreecertification.org
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