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.

Chimpanzees once helped African rainforests recover from collapse

Most people probably think that the rainforest of central and west Africa, the second largest in the world, has been around for millions of years. However recent research suggests that it is mostly just 2,000 or so years old. The forest reached roughly its modern state following five centuries of regeneration after it was massively fragmented when the dry season suddenly became longer some 2,500 years ago. Help #chimpanzees to survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop

Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius

The Common Hippopotamus, or Hippo, is a powerful and enduring symbol of Africa’s rivers and wetlands. Once common throughout all of Africa and the revered subjects of African folklore —their populations are now in peril. Hippo numbers plummeted in the 1990s and early 2000s due to unregulated #hunting and land conversion for #palmoil #cocoa and #tobacco #agriculture and human settlement. Although some strongholds remain in East and Southern Africa, many populations are in decline across #WestAfrica and Central Africa. Hippos are now listed as #Vulnerable on the Red List, with threats from freshwater habitat loss, illegal hunting for meat and ivory, and increasing conflicts with people. Use your voice and your wallet to push for stronger protections for Hippos and their riverine homes. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Treespiracy: Forests getting destroyed by corruption and greed

#Deforestation occurs against a background of #crime and #corruption as exposed in the #PanamaPapers @ICIJorg. Brands #Colgate #Danone #Nestle and others buy tainted #palmoil while lying to that it is “sustainable” 🌴⛔@palmoildetect #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

The people V. Feronia: Fighting Congo’s palm oil agrocolonialism

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 ecocide

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”

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 “9 reasons we should be eating microalgae”

Boycotts A Great Weapon to Fight Ecocidal Corporates

Boycotts against corrupt commodities like palm oil and meat are effective because they hit where it hurts, corporate giants’ profit margins and reputations

Organised Crime: A Top Driver of Global Deforestation

Every year the world loses an estimated 25 million acres (10 million hectares) of forest, an area larger than the state of Indiana. Nearly all of it is in the tropics. Tropical #forests store enormous quantities of carbon and are home to at least two-thirds of the world’s living species, so #deforestation has disastrous consequences for #climatechange and conservation. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, slowing its buildup in the atmosphere – but when they are burned or logged, they release their stored carbon, fueling further warming. Tropical forest loss generates nearly 50% more greenhouse gases than does the global transportation sector. Take action to help rainforests and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

No room for primates and palm oil expansion 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!

Zoonotic diseases spread from lack of forest cover due to palm oil

#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.

African Forest Elephants’s Movements Depend on Their Personalities

African forest #elephants roam the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa where they subsist largely on a diet of fruit. They shape forests by dispersing fruit and seeds, browsing, and creating an extensive trail network. But because it’s difficult to track animals in thick forest, little is known about the movements of the AfricanContinue reading “African Forest Elephants’s Movements Depend on Their Personalities”

In the Atlantic Forest, the lowland tapir is at risk

Lowland tapir populations in the Atlantic Forest in South America are at risk of almost complete disappearance, scientists have estimated. Weighing up to 250 kg, the animal can adapt to most habitats in South America—but its populations continue to decline across their range. Take action for these beautiful irreplaceable animals every time you shop, be #vegan for forests, farmed animals and wild animals and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

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

Artist and Indigenous Rights Advocate Barbara Crane Navarro

Artist Barbara Crane Navarro merges art and activism to defend the Amazon and Yanomami from destructive gold mining. Support #BoycottGold4Yanomami.

Meet Chimbu, the blue-eyed, bear-eared tree kangaroo

Tree kangaroos are so unusual that when Europeans first encountered them in Australia in 1872, back on the continent they were sceptical if they were real! Who would believe a #kangaroo could climb a tree? The Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is an endangered species of the genus dendrolagus living in the Central Cordillera mountain ranges ofContinue reading “Meet Chimbu, the blue-eyed, bear-eared tree kangaroo”

Knobbed Hornbill Rhyticeros cassidix

Knobbed Hornbills are important seed dispersers in Indonesia. Known for their unique social nature, save this striking bird, when you shop boycott palm oil!

Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin Cebus aequatorialis

Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchins face habitat loss to palm oil, hunting, and mining. Less than 10,000 remain. Support forest defenders. #BoycottPalmOil

Ten Tactics of ‘Sustainable’ Palm Oil Greenwashing

Learn ten marketing and PR tactics used for “sustainble” palm oil greenwashing to justify endless growth by the palm oil industry. Boycott palm oil now!

Greenwashing Tactic #2: No Proof

Greenwashing Tactic 5. Palm oil companies make environmental claims without providing proof or evidence of these claims or using spurious evidence.

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.

Binturong Facts: size, diet, smell and Kopi Luwak cruelty

Explore interesting Binturong facts like their buttered popcorn smell, ponderous size and threats of the cruel Kopi Luwak coffee trade

Orangutan with golden hair: Story by Setia Budhi

The orangutan 🦧🧡 with the golden hair, a story by Setia Budhi about palm oil pesticides killing people and animals ☠️🤒🤮 Boycott palm oil 🌴🩸🚫🙊

Greenwashing Tactic 9: Partnerships, Sponsorships and Research Funding

Greenwashing Tactic 9. Corporations use NGOs, Zoo partnerships, sponsorships, and research funding to give an industry or brand a ‘green image.