Welcome to Palm Oil Detectives
A vibrant community of caring conservationists and creative people
Use your wallet as a weapon in the supermarket
Corporate greed is the root cause of the environmental crisis we are in. It’s not about whether or not you recycle or turn off your AC – although that does help a bit.
Elite power, corporate lobbying and greenwashing are the invisible forces that govern our lives and consumer choices.
#Boycott4Wildlife
#Boycottpalmoil
#Boycottgreed
Fight greenwashing and fight for the animals you love…
10 Tactics of Sustainable Palm Oil Greenwashing
This series is about so-called ‘sustainable’ palm oil. However you could easily apply these same principles to: fossil fuels, extractive open-cut mining, timber, meat, dairy and soy industries.
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10 Tactics of Sustainable Palm Oil Greenwashing
Greenwashing Tactic #1: Hidden Trade Off
Claiming a brand or commodity is ‘green’ using a narrow definition or series of characteristics Examples of Hidden Trade off Nestle In 2019, a satellite monitoring system for stopping deforestation was adopted by Nestle, PZ Cussons and others. They are…
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Greenwashing Tactic #2: No Proof
Claiming a brand or commodity is green without any supporting evidence The RSPO promises to deliver this with their certification: 1. Improves the livelihoods of small holder farmers 2. Stops illegal indigenous land-grabbing and human rights abuses 3. Stops deforestation…
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Greenwashing Tactic #3: Vagueness
Claiming a brand or commodity is ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ based on broad generalisations, unclear language or vague statements Jump to section Greenwashing: Vagueness in Language Greenwashing: Vagueness in certification standards Reality: Auditing of RSPO a failure Quote: EIA: Who Watches…
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Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
Claiming a brand or commodity is green based on unreliable, ineffective endorsements or eco-labels such as the RSPO, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or FairTrade coffee and cocoa. Greenwashing: Fake Labels and fake certifications Ecolabels are designed to reassure consumers that…
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Greenwashing Tactic #5: Irrelevance and Deflection
Claiming a brand, commodity or industry is green based on irrelevant information Jump to section Greenwashing: Irrelevant Topics Greenwashing: Colonial Racism Research: Palm oil greenwashing and its link to climate denialism Reality: RSPO Certification Doesn’t Stop Deforestation, Human Rights Abuses…
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Greenwashing Tactic #6: The Lesser of Two Evils
Claiming that a brand, commodity or industry is greener than others in the same category, in order to excuse ecocide, deforestation, human rights and animal rights abuses. Jump to section Greenwashing: Lesser of Two Evils: Palm Oil Uses Less Land…
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Greenwashing Tactic #7: Lying
Telling outright lies over and over again to consumers until they are believed as truth Jump to section Greenwashing: Endangered species Reality: Endangered species Greenwashing: Human rights, land-grabbing and livelihoods for workers Reality: Human rights, land-grabbing and livelihoods for workers…
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Greenwashing Tactic #8: Design & Words
Using design principles and greenwashing language in order to trigger emotional and unconscious responses in consumers Jump to section Greenwashing: Design Principles Greenwashing Design Example: Palm Done Right Greenwashing Design Example: WWF Palm Oil Scorecard 2021 Greenwashing with Words: Vegan…
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Greenwashing Tactic #9: Partnerships, Sponsorships & Research Funding
Using corporate partnerships, sponsorships and research funding to give a commodity, an industry, certification scheme or supermarket brand a ‘greener’ reputation Jump to section Orangutan Land Trust & FairTrade meet in 2014 to discuss partnerships Orangutan Land Trust accepts a…
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Greenwashing Tactic #10: Gaslighting, Harassment, Stalking and Attempting to Discredit Critics
Attempting to humiliate, gaslight, discredit, harass and stalk any vocal critics of a brand, commodity or industry certification in order to scare individuals into silence and stop them from revealing corruption Greenwashing’s most insidious and darkest form is the attempt…
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Ten Tactics of ‘Sustainable’ #PalmOil #Greenwashing
There has never been a more urgent time for consumers to wake up to the devastation wrought by global supermarket brands for palm oil Jump to section 1. Greenwashing with Hidden Trade-Off 2. Greenwashing with No Proof 3. Greenwashing with…
Read moreWe are for wildlife
We are wildlife nerds, conservationists, activists, artists, writers, musicians and dreamers of a better world.
We create
We create art that promotes the natural intelligence, beauty and power of animals.
We promote
We understand that life can be hard being a creative person or a conservationist, so we promote and encourage other people’s work.
We are global
We come from all over the world and are at every stage of our lives and careers.
We are brave
We are caring, real and kind to each other. In a world of shouting human voices, spouting hatred, fear and politics –we are the voices of reason for endangered species.
We resist
We advocate for non-violent resistance to the destruction of animal habitats, logging and deforestation.
We boycott
We boycott the brands that continue to destroy forests, making spectacular animals disappear forever.
We are bold
As we stare down the barrel of the next mass extinction event on earth, we are ready to act, resist and express the voices of endangered species, before they are disappear forever.
Creatives
Grow an audience for your creative work with like-minded people, who love wildlife and the natural world.
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Find an audience of like-minded people who will support and help with your conservation work.
Boycott
Learn about brands and their deforestation activities for palm oil and other commodities.
Animals
Learn about the animals that are fast disappearing from the planet due to deforestation.
Creatives, Scientists and Conservationists who support the #Boycott4Wildlife share their stories
The animals threatened by deforestation from palm oil, soy, meat and other ingredients in our supermarket purchases…
“Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.”
Bertolt Brecht
How you can help the #Boycott4Wildlife
1. Follow me on social media and my new site (links on right) and share my posts about palm oil and endangered species widely to your friends and online circles using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. If you feel these ideas resonate with you, you can contribute art, writing or music to Creatives for Cool Creatures.
3. If you’re an academic, conservationist, scientist or activist working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals or ecosystems, and these ideas resonate with you, you can contribute blog posts to the website. See example here
4. If you are a conscious shopper, then you can take photos of these products in the supermarket. Then share these to social media and call out the greenwashing, ecocide, deforestation and extinction caused by global brands. You can use the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife, so that the whole community can see it and share it further.
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Palm Oil Detectives is 100% self-funded
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Dorias Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus dorianus 
Giant Ground Pangolin Manis gigantea 
Borneo Pygmy Elephant Elephas maximus borneensis 
Bornean Peacock-pheasant Polyplectron schleiermacheri
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