African palm civets were once common seed dispersers. Now they face pressure from palm oil-driven deforestation, mining, and hunting for bushmeat – boycott!
Tag Archives: Palm oil
Palm oil substitutes can offer beleaguered rainforests a fighting chance
Palm oil is a versatile substance used in a wide range of products from foods to cosmetics. The trouble with it is that the cultivation of oil palm trees has caused massive enviromental harm, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for 85% of palm oil production in the world.
But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.
Buffy-tufted-ear Marmoset Callithrix aurita
Buffy-tufted-ear Marmosets are enchanting monkeys living in a tiny, isolated region of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Fight for them and boycott palm oil!
Learn how to boycott palm oil this Halloween in America, the UK and Australia
The reality of these chocolate and confectionery brands is the spookiest story you will ever hear this Halloween Learn how to boycott with handy lists for the US, Uk and Australia. Discover the spookiest story of #Halloween 🎃👻💀: “sustainable” #palmoil is not sustainable! Major brands continue to buy #palmoil infused with #ecocide. Make sure youContinue reading “Learn how to boycott palm oil this Halloween in America, the UK and Australia”
Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus
Spectacled #bears are known as the ‘peaceful and gentle bear’. They are the only bear living in the tropics of South America. Like many other animals in tropical ecosystems they are #endangered. They get their name from their eye-catching markings around their eyes, face and neck that resemble spectacles. Each bear has unique markings like a fingerprint and some bears don’t have them at all.
They are found throughout the thin line of Peruvian rainforest and their range stretches across several countries: Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. Their main threats are habitat loss to #gold #mining, timber, #meat, #palmoil and #soy as well as #hunting. Protect them each time you shop by being #boycotting meat, be #vegan #boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Four Things to Know about Cholesterol
Cholesterol is among the most feared substances, but why? You need cholesterol to produce some hormones and to build vital structures in your body. But too much-referred to as high cholesterol-can build up in your arteries and lead to heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. That’s why it’s important to get tested and knowContinue reading “Four Things to Know about Cholesterol”
What is causing the latest outbreak of Ebola in Uganda?
In light of the most recent Ebola outbreak in Uganda (over the past month), many people are experiencing a sense of déjà vu. The rapacious destruction of rainforests for palm oil, soy, meat and dairy by multinational corporations is deeply linked to the spread of infectious zoonotic diseases, such as Ebola. These diseases are becoming more and more commonplace with the destruction of the environment and growth of animal agriculture. This has enormous implications for human #health, food security, animal conservation and planetary health. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Kaapori Capuchin Cebus kaapori
The Kaapori capuchin is a delightful, tenacious and intelligent small monkey species of #Brazil on a knife-edge of survival – they are critically endangered. In 2017 their population had been decimated by 80% due to deforestation for agriculture including soy, cattle grazing and palm oil. They are forgotten animals with no formal protections in place. Fight for them every time you shop and be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals – but that’s not the only reason westerners should eat more of it
Edible seaweeds and algae – or sea vegetables – are a group of aquatic plants that are found in the ocean. Kelp, dulse, wakame and sea grapes are all types of seaweeds that are used in seaweed-based dishes. Seaweeds are a highly versatile and nutritious food source that can benefit our diet. Seaweeds are often rich in fibre and high in vitamins and minerals. This includes iodine and vitamin B12, which can be lacking in vegetarian and vegan diets.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Undiscovered Begonia species in Borneo risk extinction from palm oil bulldozers. Join horticulturist Mel Lumby’s fight to save them. #Boycottpalmoil
Papuan Eagle Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Elusive, forest-dwelling apex predators in New Guinea, Papuan eagles are classified as vulnerable and rapidly declining due to enormous deforestation for mining and palm oil in Papua New Guinea and West Papua along with hunting threats. They are poorly studied birds and therefore estimates of their populations may be severely overestimated, meaning that they are in much more serious strife than we know.
While there have probably never been high densities of the Papuan eagle, evidence indicates that they are declining rapidly. It is possible that the entire population is considerably under 10,000 individuals. There is no evidence that the Papuan eagle is adaptable to the opening of forests and the eagles appear to abandon areas especially where logging roads have been cut into the forests.
Help them every time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Celebrate #WorldRhinoDay by leaving the forests alone and #Boycottpalmoil in the supermarket to save Rhinos
Indonesia is home to two of the world’s five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino Rhinoceros sondaicus and the Sumatran rhino Dicerorhinus sumatrensis still exist today, uniquely only in the country. In India’s north east, the Indian Rhino hangs on to survival. Yet their existence has become increasingly fragile due to the unrelenting growth of palm oil in both of these countries.
#WorldRhinoDay is 22nd Sept. But every day should be World Rhino Day as three of the five species of rhino may go extinct as a result of #palmoil #deforestation and illegal poaching. Fight for them each time you shop and be #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi
Apex predator and flying royalty of the jungle, Philippine #Eagles are critically endangered from #climatechange, #palmoil, #timber and #cacao #deforestation and illegal #hunting.
There are estimated to be only 180-600 eagles left in the wild. Protecting the Philippine eagle would also protect 780 other plant and animal species in the Philippines. Help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Reasons to Hope: Palm Oil Alternatives Made Without Deforestation
The race is on to find a real solution to stop palm oil ecocide. For several years now, several new #biotech companies have been busy generating alternatives to palm oil that are healthier for human consumption and don’t require the destruction of rainforests sending thousands of species to extinction. Learn more about palm oil grown in labs synthesized from algae, microbes, CO2 and more. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Dr Sophie Chao is an environmental anthropologist and environmental humanities scholar interested in the intersections of capitalism, ecology, Indigeneity, health, and justice in the Pacific.
Palm Oil Detectives is honoured to interview to Dr Sophie Chao about her research into the impacts of palm oil on the daily lives of Marind people and other sentient beings in West Papua.
I wrote In the Shadow of the Palms because I wanted the world to understand how deforestation and industrial oil palm expansion are undermining Indigenous ways of being in West Papua.
WHO: Palm Oil Industry Greenwashing Like Big Tobacco
What does the $60 billion USD palm oil industry have in common with Big Tobacco? A lot according to this report by the World Health Organisation. Palm oil industry lobbying tactics are used to influence research into the health impacts of palm oil and also to influence consumer buying habits. The dire health and environmental impacts of palm oil are hidden from consumers by clever marketing. These lobbying, marketing and greenwashing tactics are reminiscent of tobacco and alcohol health lobbying.
Why Peanut Butter Might Trigger the Next Pandemic
Palm oil is found in roughly 50 percent of packaged household products ranging from peanut butter to lipstick. Now, researchers link its harvesting to disease outbreaks that could spread to humans. This is the first study to examine the cause-and-effect relationship between changes in forest cover and subsequent disease outbreaks on a global scale.
Certification Schemes Fail to Stop Palm Oil Deforestation
71 rights groups warn that certification schemes like RSPO and FSC fail to stop deforestation and abuses. Learn why they are called tools of greenwashing.
The people versus Feronia: Fighting palm oil agrocolonialism in the Congo
This powerful #comic is by Didier Kassai and Dieudonne Botoko Kendewa is about a community in the #Congo 🇨🇩 living next to the #Feronia #palmoil plantation. They faced #violence and #landgrabbing from this corporation. Take action! #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️🚫
PepsiCo
Despite decades of promises to end deforestation for palm oil PepsiCo (owner of crisp brands Frito-Lay, Cheetos and Doritos along with hundreds of other snack food brands) have continued sourcing palm oil that strongly linked to ecocide, indigenous landgrabbing, and the habitat destruction of the rarest animals on earth. All of these animals are onContinue reading “PepsiCo”
Want to avoid palm oil? You need a ‘palm oil free’ label
The most important factor determining whether consumers avoid purchasing a product containing palm oil is not how they feel about orangutans, the environment, or anything else for that matter. It’s whether they know what’s in the product. Melbourne Business School When #consumers are told about #palmoil being in products – they will avoid them accordingContinue reading “Want to avoid palm oil? You need a ‘palm oil free’ label”
Procter & Gamble
Despite decades of promises to end deforestation for palm oil Procter & Gamble or (P&G as they are also known) have continued sourcing palm oil that causes ecocide, indigenous landgrabbing, and the habitat destruction of the rarest animals on earth. All of these animals are on a knife-edge of survival. It is for this reason,Continue reading “Procter & Gamble”
Up to 90% of Cargill, Wilmar, Musim Mas’ Palm Oil Linked To Deforestation
Research finds that between 15-90% of palm oil processed by global palm oil traders: #Cargill, #MusimMas and #Wilmar is unable to be adequately traced. This is due to opaque indirect sourcing and is linked to deforestation. Palm oil deforestation is sending thousands of rare, #endangered species of #animals and #plants towards #extinction and leads to the violent displacement of indigenous peoples. The loss of carbon sinks from deforestation plays a significant role in global warming and the climate emergency. Take action every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
Bio: Dr Evan Allen Dr. Evan Allen, the author of Oversaturated, believes that a pervasive distortion of the truth ignores decades of established research and has led millions of people to embrace a diet high in saturated fat. Furthermore that this diet results in millions of people suffering the consequences of diabetes, dementia and heart diseaseContinue reading “Health Physician Dr Evan Allen”
More protein and good for the planet: 9 reasons we should be eating microalgae
As the climate change advances and deforestation continues at pace, the land we use for growing energy-intensive crops such as wheat corn, soy and palm oil is becoming less productive. We need to find ways to feed the earth’s growing population that isn’t so burdensome on the environment. One potential solution is to cultivate microalgaeContinue reading “More protein and good for the planet: 9 reasons we should be eating microalgae”
Research: Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa
Research shows that future palm oil expansion is a major threat to Africa’s tropical forests and their rich primate biodiversity, Fight back boycott palm oil!
Research: Zoonotic Disease Outbreaks Linked to Forest Cover and Palm Oil Expansion
#Research finds that #deforestation is a major cause of #biodiversity loss with a negative impact on human health. Outbreaks of vector-borne #zoonotic #diseases are associated with increases in areas of #palmoil plantations.
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
What is a Steady State Economy? A Steady State Economy is a mildly fluctuating economy that does not exceed ecological and planetary limits. A Steady State Economy is not an alternative economic ideology that is centred on endless GDP growth. It is neither capitalism nor communism. Economic growth, with all of its downsides, is clearlyContinue reading “How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy”
Divide and Intimidate: The Playbook of Palm Oil Landgrabs
The insidious playbook of palm oil companies “Promise, Divide, Intimidate and Coerce” reveals the 12 corrupt tactics used to grab community land in Africa
Zoologist and TV Presenter Dr George McGavin
Dr George McGavin FLS FRGS Hon. FSB Hon. FRES studied Zoology at Edinburgh University, followed by a PhD in entomology at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London. After 25 years as an academic at Oxford University he became an award-winning television presenter. George is an Honorary Research Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and an Honorary Principal Research Fellow at Imperial College. George is also a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Royal Geographical Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and an Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. As well as his many TV documentaries, George has written numerous books on insects and other animals. In 2019 he became the President of the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
Palm Oil Detectives 