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Category Archives: The Problems with Palm Oil
African Forest Elephants Help Fight Climate Change
Discover the awe-inspiring role of African forest elephants in the Congo Basin—nature’s master gardeners who literally shape the world around them! These gentle giants roam through muddy, mineral-rich paradises called baïs, fostering the growth of carbon-absorbing trees that make our planet healthier. By tending to these unique landscapes, they are the unsung heroes in the fight against climate change. Want to ensure these ecological architects keep doing their vital work? Join the movement to protect their habitat—say no to palm oil and adopt a vegan lifestyle! 🐘🌳#BoycottPalmOil #BeVegan #Boycott4Wildlife
Strange Species Could Vanish Before Discovery
Scientists have described around 1.5 million species on Earth – but how many are still out there to be discovered? This is one of the most heated debates in biology. Discounting microbes, plausible estimates range from about half a million to more than 50 million species of unknown animals, plants and fungi.
Our present knowledge is just scratching the surface. Evolution has had billions of years to create biologically active compounds that can combat human diseases, generate genetic diversity that could save our food crops from disastrous pathogens, and spawn ecological innovations that can inspire marvellous new inventions. Help the rarest and most cryptic animals, plants and fungi to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil adopt a #vegan lifestyle and #Boycott4Wildlife
Cutting Ultra-Processed Foods Could Save Lives
Recently, the CEO of breakfast giant Kelloggs Gary Pilnick promoted the benefits eating breakfast cereal for dinner as a way for people to cope with the increased cost of living and food:
“Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect [it] to continue as that consumer is under pressure,” Pilnick told CNBC about his stable of ultra-processed foods like Fruity Loops, Special K, and Frosted Flakes. He takes home a 4 million USD salary each year.
Many research studies released in the past decade have shown a clear link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods: [high sugar and high fat convenience foods, sugary breakfast cereals, processed baked goods and biscuits] with all of the biggest diseases that kill the most people: ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, dementia and many cancers.
Palm oil is a saturated fat that is present in many ultra-processed foods. Multiple studies including one by the World Health Organisation have linked palm oil consumption to increased mortality from heart disease and stroke. The UK’s National Health Service, Columbia Irving Medical Centre and others warn people against consuming palm oil due to its serious health risks.
PalmWatch: A Tool to Hold Palm Oil Greenwashers to Account
A groundbreaking open-source tool by the University of Chicago called PalmWatch, shines a light on the darkest parts of the palm oil industry.
PalmWatch is a free web-based tool that reveals links between major multinational brands using supposedly “sustainable” palm oil, and palm oil supply chain. This means that concerned consumers, animal rights advocates and human rights advocates can clearly see the toll of palm oil ecocide in their daily supermarket purchases.
Covering hundreds of thousands of kilometres, PalmWatch gives everyone open-source, free and unprecedented access to what “sustainable” palm oil really looks like.
More than simply a tool, PalmWatch is a clarion call to consumers to look carefully at their purchases. And where possible, to boycott brands causing the ecological crisis of tropical deforestation.
Help animals and indigenous peoples and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop!
Air Pollution from Palm Oil: A Human Rights Issue
Forest-fire haze from Indonesian palm oil deforestation is a crisis! Learn how toxic air pollution is a human rights issue affecting all of Southeast Asia
Palm Oil Increases Deaths of Baby Macaques
In Peninsular Malaysia, a new study published in Cell Biology by a team led by Dr Anna Holzner of German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig has found that infant mortality rates among wild southern pig-tailed macaques are alarmingly high due to frequent visits to oil palm plantations.
These plantations expose the infants to increased risks from predators, human encounters, and harmful agricultural chemicals, potentially affecting the development and survival of infant macaques. The study, conducted in collaboration of international researchers, observed that prolonged exposure to these plantations during infancy triples the likelihood of death.
The study suggests that pesticides used in agriculture could cross the placental barrier or be transmitted through breastmilk, impacting fetal development and health. This significant research underlines the urgent need for eco-friendly agricultural practices to protect wildlife and human communities near plantations. Take action and join the movement to #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop!
UK Pressuring Forests For Palm Oil and Beef
Urgent call to action! 🌍 #UK’s heavy use of #palmoil #soy & #beef fuels global #deforestation. Demand stricter regulations & transparency. Make every purchase count and #Boycottmeat #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife, learn more: https://wp.me/pcFhgU-78V
Food Without Agriculture
Researchers argue food can be made without destroying rainforests, using alternative energy sources like microbes, yeast and CO2, saving animals and emissions
Green Lie of “Sustainable” Aviation Biofuel
“Sustainable” Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a biofuel alternative to using fossil fuels for powering planes and cars. SAF is being aggressively marketed by multiple industries as a greener alternative to burning fossil fuels in cars and airplanes.
However, SAF is produced from food crops such as rapeseed, palm oil, soy and sugar cane. This requires vast swathes of land to grow. This also means mass deforestation of land that is rich in biodiversity, putting at risk already threatened animals and plants and indigenous peoples all over the world. Emissions from palm oil-derived biodiesel are three times higher than fossil fuel diesel. According to Transport & Environment EU food-based biodiesel leads to around 80% higher emissions than the fossil fuel diesel that it replaces. Read on to find out how you can take action.
Palm Oil Deforestation and Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes
A 2023 study published in Nature has found that cutting down rainforest to grow palm oil makes it easier for certain disease-carrying bugs like Aedes albopictus mosquitoes to thrive.
The study looks at how these changes in land use affect the local weather and environment, which in turn makes it easier for the mosquitoes to complete their life cycle.
Specifically, turning forests into palm oil plantations can increase the chances of these mosquitoes growing by about 11%, which drops to around 5% as the palm oil plants mature. This could lead to more frequent outbreaks of diseases carried by these mosquitoes.
Aedes albopictus is known to transmit pathogens and viruses, such as the Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya fever and Usutu virus.
The study suggests careful policy-making and planning is urgently needed to assess how we use land, balancing the need for palm oil farming.
There are strong inherent risks to public health from palm oil agriculture and vector-borne diseases. #Boycottpalmoil
Indigenous Farming: Science, Not Superstition
What does it mean when you encounter snakes slithering along paths or find a bird nest with eggs? For Indigenous peoples in Malaysia, these are tell-tale signs passed down by their ancestors discouraging them from using the land. Instead, they must protect the area from unscrupulous developments.
Rethinking Climate and Extinction Crises
Capturing people’s attention about the #climate and #extinction crises is a challenge. Causes mostly move slowly, without the flashy drama that can focus our minds in the midst of 24-hour news cycles and social media distractions. The Netflix film Don’t Look Up cleverly captures humans’ inability to come together to counter such a common existential threat. To change this, we must develop a “slow memory” that can help us care about and act on slow change. Help to fight against extinction when you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Reptiles Facing Extinction: How to Help
#Reptiles are fascinating creatures who are sadly feared, misunderstood and persecuted by humans. It is high time that we stand up for #lizards, #snakes, #terrapins, #crocodiles, caimans, #turtles and more.
Many of these fascinating creatures are feared by humans and inhabit hard-to-traverse places such as swamps. Compared with birds, amphibians and mammals, there is little data available on the distribution, population size and extinction risk of reptiles. This has meant that wildlife conservationists have largely helped reptiles indirectly in the past by meeting the needs of other animals (for food and habitat for example) living in similar places. Here’s how we stand up for them #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Child Labour and Debt Bondage: A Reality For ‘Sustainable’ Palm Oil
According to a new report from the Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) at the International Labour Organization (ILO). About 80% of the world’s poor live in rural areas where they face a myriad of human rights problems which hamper their ability to survive.
Problems include inadequate safety at work, low pay, lack of stability and security of work, and excessive working hours, with women and young workers.
Choose Indigenous Trees Over Palm Oil In India
India is pushng palm oil growth, a massive mistake for local biodiversity, land rights and climate change, Indians should resist and Boycott palm oil!
300,000 Trees Tracked: Are Losing Their Power to Help Us
Tropical forests matter to each and every one of us. They suck colossal quantities of carbon out of the atmosphere, providing a crucial brake on the rate of climate change. Yet a statistical model in this study has estimated that by 2030 the African forests’ capacity to remove carbon will decrease by 14%, while Amazonian forests may stop removing carbon dioxide altogether by 2035. What can you do? Use our wallet as a weapon and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycottmeat #Boycott4Wildlife
Research: Certifying Palm Oil as “Sustainable” Is No Panacea
University of Michigan research reveals that RSPO certification is associated with deforestation and human rights abuses in Guatemala. Boycott palm oil! The results of this paper show that these plantations were responsible for 28% of the region’s deforestation, and RSPO-certified plantations did not significantly reduce deforestation. The study links this deforestation to the supply chains of major brands: Pepsico, Mondelēz International, and Grupo Bimbo, who rely on RSPO-certified supplies.
As a consumer you can make a difference every time you shop, use your wallet as a weapon and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Australia must not be a dumping ground for palm oil made from slavery: The Australian Greens
The recently released Global Slavery Index reveals that Australia risks importing goods amounting to US $17.4 billion, which are suspected to be produced via forced labour.
A ban of these goods from Australia was proposed by the Australian Greens, who along with several community organisations, are urging the Labor Party to prioritise this change following a report from the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
How the humble mushroom could save forests and fight climate change
The conversion of forests to agricultural land is happening at a mind-boggling speed. Between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was estimated at around 10 million hectares every year. From a climate and carbon point of view, we know that cutting down trees at this scale is devastating. But the impacts run deeper: 75% of the world’s accessible fresh water arises from forested watersheds. Want an easy way to fight #climatechange and #deforestation? Stop #eating meat and #dairy and eat #mushrooms 🍄🥦🍅🍌 fruit and veg instead! #Boycottmeat and be #vegan #Boycott4Wildlife
RSPO’s Dubious “Sustainability”: 30 Years of Deceit
Ecolabels like RSPO and FSC are involved in networks of greenwashing about human rights abuses and deforestation. Resist and boycott palm oil when you shop!
India’s Palm Oil Push Leaves Northeast Indian Farmers, Forests and Animals at Risk
#Palmoil cultivation in #India’s northeast such as #Nagaland and #Assam is devastating natural ecology with increased human-animal conflicts and #ecocide leaving #animals, #forests and people at risk. Resist and fight back every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Preventing Pandemics: Cheaper Than Controlling Them
“It turns out prevention of #pandemics really is the best medicine. We estimate we could greatly reduce the likelihood of another pandemic occuring by investing as little as 1/20th of the losses incurred so far from COVID into [#wildlife and #rainforest] conservation measures designed to help stop the spread of these viruses from wildlife to humans in the first place.” Professor Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University, who was co-lead author of the study. Fight against extinction every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Transparency International: Corruption of Indonesian Palm Oil
According to a May 2023 report by Transparency International, the top 50 palm oil companies in Indonesia are beset by deep problems: a lack of transparency in company ownership and who are the ultimate beneficiaries of profits, conflicts of interest, revolving-door politics, and politically exposed persons within companies.
All of the above makes the palm oil industry in Indonesia seriously susceptible to corporate capture and corruption. Don’t trust palm oil. Instead #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop
Ultra-processed Foods: Trashing Health and The Planet
Our world is facing a huge challenge: we need to create enough high-quality, diverse and nutritious food to feed a growing population – and do so within the boundaries of our planet. This means significantly reducing the environmental impact of the global food system. Below is information about how you can identify ultra processed foods containing palm oil and other harmful ingredients in order to avoid them – for your own health and the health of the planet. Help the planet, animals and indigenous peoples – #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Caring for Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia
Researchers travel into the remote wilderness of #Cambodia to study the world’s most endangered #crocodile, the placid, cryptic and little-known Siamese crocodile. Help their survival in the supermarket and be #vegan, boycott crocodile leather and #Boycott4Wildlife
The CUT Campaign and its partners ask MP Kemi Badenoch to keep UK tariffs palm oil to prevent ecocide
Last month UK Tory MP Kemi Badenoch announced that a new UK trade deal would cut tariffs on palm oil imports from 12% to zero.
This move will likely grease the way towards the UK importing palm oil deforestation and human rights abuses from Malaysia and Indonesia into the UK.
Environmental groups: CUT Campaign, Palm Oil Detectives, Bruno Manser Fond, Save Rivers, Extinction Rebellion and many others strongly object to this decision by the UK government. Read on below to watch the video, sign the petition and join the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife movement to take action against palm oil greed and ecocide.
Dwindling tropical rainforests mean lost medicines yet to be discovered in their plants
About 80% of the world population relies on compounds derived from plants for medicines to treat various ailments, such as malaria and cancer, and to suppress pain. Our future medicines are likely to come from plants, but how effectively are we protecting these plants from extinction? We aren’t doing enough and we must do more!
The right for nature to simply exist is clear – the movement to enshrine this into law is growing
The idea that nature — forests , rivers, mountains — could have rights, in the same way that human rights, or corporate rights exist has been building momentum. A historic global agreement has been reached to try to protect the plants and animals of this world from further demise.
NHS Health Guide: Lower Your Cholesterol – Reduce Palm Oil and Other Saturated Fats
The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK government’s public health service. In this factsheet, they recommend people limit palm oil, meat, dairy and other saturated fats in their diets.
For optimal health, the NHS recommends people to adopt a largely palm oil free, plant-based diet rich in diverse plants and wholegrain foods. Adopting this diet along with exercising regularly and limiting alcohol and cigarettes substantially reduces one’s risk of dying of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and obesity, as well as many chronic health conditions.
There are other benefits to adopting a palm oil free and plant-based diet. By doing this, you are refusing to sponsor palm oil related ecocide and human rights atrocities in the developing world. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Palm Oil Detectives 