Here are the main problems with #palmoil and the reasons why instead of supporting the industry you should #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife, read more
Tweet
#Palmoil – both the so-called “sustainable” kind and the non sustainable kind cause #deforestation #ecocide #animal extinction and human rights abuses, but there are solutions and there is hope #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Tweet
Palm Oil is a conflict commodity that has to be grown in the ashes of dead rainforests. Species-rich ecosystems are destroyed simply for a constant stream of cheap consumer goods. This is what gives palm oil its evil reputation.
There are many problems with palm oil that are outlined below. These include deforestation, wild animal extinction, human rights abuses, slavery, child slavery, sexual assault of female workers, illegal land-grabbing and violent military interventions to assist in the clearance of land and quelling of land disputes.
Corporate corruption and greenwashing is rife throughout all levels of the palm oil supply chain, including and especially by corporate entities who use so-called “sustainable” palm oil.
The Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala does not trust the RSPO’s false and weak promise of “sustainable” palm oil
She replies to my conversation on Twitter to advise of this…
“No voluntary standards or industry schemes have done the job fully [of eliminating deforestation or human rights abuses]. That is why the game-changing EU CSDDD [Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive] is mandatory. Certification is a useful tool but will not liberate the company from its duty of due diligence”
~ Heidi Hautala, Vice-President of the European Parliament and part of the the Human Rights and Democracy panel and Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
Problems with Palm Oil
Palm Oil Extinction & Animal Cruelty
Palm Oil & Out Of Control Consumerism
Palm Oil Deforestation, Fires & Ecocide
Palm Oil, Human Rights Abuses & Indigenous Land-Grabbing
Palm Oil & Human Health Hazards
Palm Oil, Greenwashing & Corporate Corruption
Reasons To Be Hopeful
Search for an article topic
Palm Oil, Extinction & Animal Cruelty
African Forest Elephants: Unsung Heroes Helping Congo Fight Climate Change
Discover the awe-inspiring role of African forest elephants in the Congo Basin—nature’s master gardeners who literally shape the…
Keep reading
Some of the world’s strangest species could vanish before they’re discovered – Help them and #Boycott4Wildlife
Scientists have described around 1.5 million species on Earth – but how many are still out there to…
Keep reading
Palm oil plantations increase risk of infant death for Southern Pig-tailed Macaques
In Peninsular Malaysia, a new study published in Cell Biology by a team led by Dr Anna Holzner…
Keep reading
Climate and extinction crises move too slowly for us to pay attention – here’s the answer
It seems we are having a hard time paying sufficient attention to the climate and extinction crises. This…
Keep reading
Reptiles: why one in five species face extinction. Here’s how you can help them
#Reptiles are fascinating creatures who are sadly feared, misunderstood and persecuted by humans. It’s time we stand up…
Keep reading
August 19th is #WorldOrangutanDay
Although #WorldOrangutanDay falls on the 19th of August, in our opinion, every day deserves to be World Orangutan…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
In the remote Cambodian jungles, we made sure rare Siamese crocodiles would have enough food
Researchers travel into the remote wilderness to study the world’s most endangered crocodilian, the placid, cryptic and little-known…
Keep reading
A Broken Record on Repeat – Animal Extinction Likely if Palm Oil Expands in North East India
As with the forest kingdoms of Borneo and the Amazon rainforest, the Indian forest kingdom of the Golden…
Keep reading
Uncovering secrets of the glasswing butterfly’s see-through wings
Most butterflies sport colourful, eye-catching wings. But some species flit about using mostly transparent wings. Researchers have now uncovered the…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Palm Oil & Out of Control Consumerism
Peter Singer: We are gambling with the future of our planet for the sake of hamburgers
Renowned animal rights ethicist philosopher Peter Singer asserts that our dietary choices, particularly our consumption of meat and dairy, are jeopardising the Earth’s future. These industries contribute significantly to…
Keep reading
The UK’s hunger for palm oil, soy and beef putting huge pressure on world’s forests
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,…
Keep reading
Behind The Green Lie of Sustainable Aviation Biofuel (SAF)
“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…
Keep reading
Ultra-processed foods are trashing our 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…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
UN report says up to 850,000 animal viruses could be caught by humans, unless we protect nature
Human damage to biodiversity is leading us into a pandemic era. The virus that causes COVID-19, for example, is linked to similar viruses in bats, which may have been…
Keep reading
Reasons to Hope: Palm Oil Alternatives Made Without Deforestation
Environmental organisation Milieudefensie have calculated that every second, around 169 trees are cut down in tropical rainforests. So the race is on to find a real solution to stop this! Right…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
New research: Indirect sourcing of up to 90% of palm oil from Cargill, Wilmar, Musim Mas cannot be traced and is linked to deforestation
New research: Indirect sourcing of up to 90% of palm oil from Cargill, Wilmar, Musim Mas cannot be traced and is linked to deforestation
Keep reading
Almost 90% of the world’s animal species will lose some habitat to agriculture by 2050
David Williams, University of Leeds and Michael Clark, University of Oxford Scientists know that biodiversity is declining across much of the world although less universally and dramatically than we…
Keep reading
A global juggling act: feeding the world, saving species
Jim Radford, Deakin University Our planet is on the precipice of a sixth mass extinction event. But unlike the five previous mass extinctions, this one is man-made: a global…
Keep reading
The rise of ultra-processed foods and why they’re really bad for our health
Phillip Baker, Deakin University; Mark Lawrence, Deakin University, and Priscila Machado, Deakin University Humans (and our ancestors) have been processing food for at least 1.8 million years. Roasting, drying,…
Keep reading
Explainer: What is a tipping point, and why should we care?
Our ability to understand and act thoughtfully around this single concept could determine the fate of life on Earth. August 20, 2020 — Lately, you may have heard someone…
Keep reading
Can we feed the world and stop deforestation? Depends what’s for dinner
If we all woke up vegan in 2050, we would require less cropland than we did in the year 2000. This could allow us to “reforest” an area around…
Keep reading
How our food choices cut into forests and put us closer to viruses
Terry Sunderland, University of British Columbia As the global population has doubled to 7.8 billion in about 50 years, industrial agriculture has increased the output from fields and farms…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Palm Oil Deforestation, Fires & Ecocide
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the RSPO and palm oil industry finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and extinction
PalmWatch: An Open-Source Tool That Empowers You 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…
Keep reading
Air pollution from palm oil deforestation is a human rights issue affecting everyone in Asia
Forest-fire haze drifting from Indonesia to neighbouring countries every dry season has eluded efforts to curb it.
Land clearing by burning is prohibited in Indonesia and Malaysia. However,…
Keep reading
Food Without Agriculture
In a 2023 article published in Nature Sustainability, researchers write that food production can be more sustainable by focusing less on traditional agriculture and more on alternative methods, like…
Keep reading
Research: Palm oil deforestation makes conditions better for disease-carrying Aedes albopictus 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.…
Keep reading
We tracked 300,000 trees only to find that rainforests are losing their power to help humanity
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…
Keep reading
Palm oil deforestation in Guatemala: Certifying products as ‘sustainable’ is no panacea: University of Michigan
Newly published research from the University of Michigan reveals that despite the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification system being influential, its effectiveness in reducing deforestation is uncertain.…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
India’s Palm Oil Push Leaves Northeast Indian Farmers, Forests and Animals at Risk
Palmoil cultivation in India’s northeast is devastating natural ecology with increased human-animal conflicts and ecocide leaving farmers, forests and animals at risk #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
RSPO member SIAT leaves Nigerian farmers without food. Leases their illegally taken land for €1.23 Euros per hectare, per year
A 5-month investigation by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi and Kevin Woke of Sahara Reporters reveals how RSPO member SIAT Nigeria Limited is involved in human rights abuses and land-grabbing on host…
Keep reading
India’s oil palm goals raise fears of deforestation and extinction
A corporate monopoly for control over land and resources for palm oil must be dismantled immediately to give humanity, animals and our natural world a fighting chance for survival…
Keep reading
Palm Oil: A Recipe for Disaster in India
Given the widespread destruction of rainforests and native biodiversity caused by oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia, environmental experts and politicians are warning that the move to promote palm…
Keep reading
Will palm oil watchdog RSPO rid itself of deforestation or continue to pretend its products are sustainable? – EIA
Palm oil produced through the destruction of forestland is still being sold around the world with the blessing of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
On November 30,…
Keep reading
Soy and palm oil agriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer
Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae…
Keep reading
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil: 19 years is enough
For nearly two decades now, the RSPO has failed in its mission to make the industrial palm oil sector “sustainable”. Instead, it has been used by the palm oil…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Palm Oil, Human Rights Abuses & Indigenous Land-Grabbing
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry finds extensive greenwashing of human rights abuses, deforestation, air pollution and human health impacts
Child labour, forced labour and debt bondage are still a reality – even 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…
Keep reading
Instead of Risky Palm Oil in India, Indigenous Trees Should Get More Attention
In an effort to combat India’s edible oil shortage, the Indian government has heavily promoted the cultivation of exotic palm oil trees. This is a decision mired in controversy…
Keep reading
Certification Ecolabels’ Dubious “Sustainability”: 30 Years of Deceit and Violence
Ecolabels like RSPO and FSC are involved in networks of extensive greenwashing. They exist to conceal corporations’ environmental damage rather than fighting it. With three decades dubious promises from…
Keep reading
Sumatran elephants: Surrounded by palm oil and nobody knows how many are left alive!
Sumatran elephants in Indonesia’s North Aceh district are being increasingly encircled by shrinking patches of forest. Their home is being destroyed primarily for oil palm plantations.
Ongoing attempts of scientists…
Keep reading
Amazon Palm: Global brands continue to source palm oil from Amazon destroyers Agropalma & BBF
Major international brands sourcing palm oil from Brazilian plantations linked to violence, torture and land fraud. Global supermarket brands Ferrero, ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Danone, Ferrero, Hershey’s, Kellogg, Mondelez, Nestlé,…
Keep reading
Spoiled Fruit: Land-grabbing, violence and slavery for “sustainable” palm oil
C4ADS analysis shows that the food conglomerates that feed millions—including giants such as Nestlé, Cargill, Adani Wilmar, IOI, Olenex and more —continue to enable forced labor through their indiscriminate…
Keep reading
Land-grabbing and the climate crisis are strongly linked to palm oil
A corporate monopoly for control over land and resources for palm oil must be dismantled immediately to give humanity, animals and our natural world a fighting chance for survival…
Keep reading
Eyewitness Story by Dr Setia Budhi: The Last Village
A lone Dayak village in Borneo surrounded by palm oil plantations has held out for 14 years and resisted corporate infiltration by global palm oil giants. My name is…
Keep reading
The Washington Post recommends that you boycott palm oil in 2022 and beyond
The original version of this article was published as ‘How to Make More Socially Conscious Halloween Candy Choices in The Washington Post on the 14th of October 2022. Originally…
Keep reading
September 21st: International Day of Struggle Against Monoculture Plantations
Today is ‘International Day of Struggle Against Monoculture Tree Plantations. World Rainforest Movement have produced a powerful video to highlight the Ugandan people’s struggle against BIDCO an international company…
Keep reading
Palm oil industry lobbying and greenwashing is like Big Tobacco – World Health Organisation (WHO) Bulletin
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…
Keep reading
Indigenous and local communities key to successful nature conservation
Indigenous and local communities are key to successful nature conservation and for protecting animals from extinction. Story via Eureka Alert and the University of East Anglia. Indigenous Peoples and…
Keep reading
Treespiracy: Forests are being destroyed against a background of corruption, illegality and apathy
The world’s forests are being destroyed against a background of corruption, illegality and apathy. This article was originally published in The Ecologist magazine, 28th March, 2022 A complex web…
Keep reading
10 reasons why ecolabels & commodity certification will never be a solution for importing tropical deforestation
In 2022, 71 environmental and human rights groups from around the world wrote to the EU Commission to warn that certification schemes and ecolabels were not sufficient to prevent…
Keep reading
The people versus Feronia: Fighting palm oil agrocolonialism in the Congo
This incredible comic was created by Didier Kassai with research by Judith Verweijen and Dieudonne Botoko Kendewa of the University of Sussex and the University of Sheffield. The comic was…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Palm Oil and Human Health Impacts
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry found that the human health impacts of palm oil are downplayed or greenwashed by the industry
Cutting Down on Ultra-Processed Foods Could Save Lives, Research Reveals
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…
Keep reading
Preventing pandemics costs far less than controlling them
“It turns out prevention 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…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
Researchers find direct links between deforestation and reduced dietary quality
Forested areas can help communities that rely on wild foods to diversify their diets and meet their nutritional needs, according to researchers who found direct links between deforestation and reduced fruit and vegetable consumption in rural Tanzania. Read more via Penn State University and Eureka Alerts. “In recent years, a growing body of literature has…
Keep readingPalm 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…
Keep reading
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 know…
Keep reading
What is causing the latest outbreak of Ebola in Uganda?
The answers to preventing future zoonotic diseases are staring us right in the face: we should stop eating animals and consuming animal products and we should stop destroying rainforests for palm oil, soy and other crops! Many research papers and books have been written about the connection between the relentless capitalist growth imperative of multinational…
Keep reading
Without tropical forests, global temperatures would be 1°c warmer
Lausanne, Switzerland (24 March)—New research released today offers the most comprehensive and detailed evidence to date that forests are more important to the climate (globally and locally) than we think due to the way in which they physically transform the atmosphere. The first-ever research to pinpoint the local, regional and global non-carbon dioxide benefits of…
Keep reading
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen: In His Own Words
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 disease…
Keep reading
How deforestation helps deadly viruses jump from animals to humans
Amy Y. Vittor, University of Florida; Gabriel Zorello Laporta, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, and Maria Anice Mureb Sallum, Universidade de São Paulo Many pandemics originate from wildlife that jumps from animal to human. These leaps often happen at the edges of the world’s tropical forests, where deforestation is increasingly bringing people into contact with…
Keep reading
2021 Research: Outbreaks of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases are linked to changes in forest cover and palm oil global expansion
Deforestation is a major cause of biodiversity loss with a negative impact on human health. Outbreaks of vector-borne diseases such as COVID-19 are associated with increases in areas of palm oil plantations. A major 2021 study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science examined whether global scale loss and gain of forest cover and the rise of…
Keep reading
Video: Slowing deforestation is the key to preventing the next pandemic – but what does that cost?
Les Kaufman, Boston University In a recent journal article, a team of biologists, medical scientists, environmental scientists and conservationists proposed a number of measures to reduce the likelihood of future pandemics, many of which originate with wild animals such as bats. They argue that spending billions of dollars per year – a fraction of the…
Keep reading
The Coronavirus Crisis: How has Lockdown Impacted Nature?
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a very strange year. Thanks to coronavirus, modern life as we know it has been put on hold. International borders have been shut, governments have ordered businesses to close their doors, and most families have been under lockdown. For anyone wondering where this infectious virus…
Keep readingResearch: Palm Oil Deforestation and its connection to RSPO members/supermarket brands
The RSPO is a global certification scheme for palm oil that certifies palm oil as ‘sustainable’. Yet this word means absolutely nothing, as RSPO members – the biggest supermarket brands in the world: (Unilever, Nestle, Colgate-Palmolive, L’Oreal, Avon, Mars, Mondelez, Cargill, Danone and more) continue with illegal indigenous landgrabbing, deforestation, human rights abuses, slavery and…
Keep readingPalm Oil, Greenwashing, Corruption & Consumer Manipulation
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry found that the human health impacts of palm oil are downplayed or greenwashed by the industry
Transparency International report: corruption and corporate capture in Indonesia’s Top 50 palm oil companies
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…
Keep reading
‘Just the beginning’: dawn of greenwash era for journalism in Asia?
Curtailed press freedom in Asia makes the job of calling out greenwashing increasingly difficult – at a time when corporate accountability is critical in the fight against climate change.…
Keep reading
Oligarchs weaken Indonesia’s fight against corruption
Indonesia’s efforts to fight government corruption are being corrupted from within parliament and backed by big palm oil, timber and mining businesses. Story via 360Info. Fight back every time…
Keep reading
Indonesia’s misinformation program favours obedience of its citizenry over independent thought
Forest-fire haze drifting from Indonesia to neighbouring countries every dry season has eluded efforts to curb it.
Land clearing by burning is prohibited in Indonesia and Malaysia. However,…
Keep reading
Indonesia’s misinformation army ready for war in 2023
With controversial law reform, an election and a ban on deforestation palm oil in EU – In 2023, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up greenwashing, propaganda and misinformation…
Keep reading
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.…
Keep readingEcocide: why establishing a new international crime would be a step towards interspecies justice
A movement of activists and legal scholars is seeking to make “ecocide” an international crime within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Stop Ecocide Foundation has…
Keep reading
Conservation activists suing Indonesian zoo could inspire global action on endangered species trade
In a court in rural Indonesia, an environmental group recently filed a lawsuit of global importance. Their case is against a zoo in North Sumatra that it’s alleged illegally…
Keep reading
Boycotts are a crucial weapon to fight environment-harming firms
Bill Laurance, James Cook University Campaigns and boycotts get the attention of large corporations, because they hit them where it hurts: their reputation and market share. In October 2000,…
Keep reading
Organized crime is a top driver of global deforestation – along with beef, soy, palm oil and wood products
Jennifer Devine, Texas State University Every year the world loses an estimated 25 million acres (10 million hectares) of forest, an area larger than the state of Indiana. Nearly…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
Greenwashing Tactic #1: Hidden Trade Off
When a brand makes token changes while continuing with deforestation, ecocide or human rights abuses in another part of their business – this is ‘Hidden Trade Off’
For example,…
Keep reading
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.…
Keep reading
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…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Reasons to be Hopeful
Don’t lose hope. For every shadow there is light shining as well. Here are some solutions
Great news: Apes have a sense of humour and they enjoy teasing each other
New research finds that it is not only human babies who love to playfully tease each other. Researchers reasoned that since language is not required for this behaviour, similar kinds of playful teasing might be present…
Keep reading
Indigenous farming knowledge is 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…
Keep reading
Wildlife Artist and Animal Rights Advocate Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words
Juanchi Pérez is a talented and well-established designer, illustrator and artist from Ecuador who captures the soulful presence of rare rainforest animals near his home.
He is passionate about sharing the magnificent animals and plants…
Keep reading
Op-Ed: A plan for preserving a habitable earth by Julian Cribb
Renowned and prolific science communicator and author Julian Cribb writes this op-ed piece for Palm Oil Detectives. He addresses the world’s most pressing needs for survival as we descend into the pointy end of the Anthropocene…
Keep reading
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.
The dying days of 2022 saw a historic…
Keep reading
News stories about spiders are unfairly negative – here’s how to tell the truth about spiders
Frequent errors in news reports likely contribute to the animals’ undeserved bad reputation Spiders are pretty remarkable. They live almost everywhere, from rainforests to deserts. Some even spend most of their lives underwater. They are smarter…
Keep reading
Do humans really need other species?
Do humans really need other species? Yes! millions of organisms are needed to keep ecosystems in balance and ensure everyone can survive. Most importantly, #research shows other species make us happy! Research shows that people are healthier…
Keep reading
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.…
Keep reading
Mel Lumby: The beautiful begonias of Borneo and beyond deserve our love and protection
Begonias, along with orangutans and many other rainforest inhabitants are in danger now. Will these precious jewels of the jungle be located by scientists, described, eventually named and shared, so that people can love and marvel…
Keep reading
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…
Keep reading
Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words
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…
Keep reading
What elephants’ unique brain structures suggest about their mental abilities
Bob Jacobs, Colorado College Conservationists have designated August 12 as World Elephant Day to raise awareness about conserving these majestic animals. Elephants have many engaging features, from their incredibly dexterous trunks to their memory abilities and…
Keep reading
Back from extinction: a world first effort to return threatened pangolins to the wild
The reintroduction of pangolins has not been easy. But it’s vital to prevent this shy, mysterious creature from being lost forever. Pangolins are one of the most illegally trafficked animals on the planet and are suspected…
Keep reading
Chimpanzees once helped African rainforests recover from a major 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…
Keep reading
How do we protect the rapidly disappearing Javan Rhino?
With only 74 individuals left, the remarkable and beautiful Javan Rhino is on the brink of extinction and can be found on one of the most densely populated islands in the world – Java. Boycotting palm…
Keep reading
The mimics among us — birds pirate songs for personal profit
From Roman classics to British tabloids, humans have long celebrated the curious and remarkable ability of birds to imitate the sounds of humans and other animals. A recent surge of research is revealing how and why…
Keep reading
A fascinating history of warrior turtles: from ancient myths, warships and teenage mutants
Ask anyone the identity of the world’s most famed turtles, and the answer is likely to be those legendary heroes in a half-shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninjas. Since first appearing in comic book form in 1984,…
Keep reading
More protein and good for the planet: 9 reasons we should be eating microalgae
Martina Doblin, University of Technology Sydney; Donna Sutherland, University of Technology Sydney, and Peter Ralph, University of Technology Sydney As the climate warms and deforestation continues at pace, the land we use for growing energy-intensive crops…
Keep reading
Bonobo mothers meddle in their sons’ sex lives – making them three times more likely to father children
New research shows that for bonobos, sex really is often a family affair. What’s more, rather than being an embarrassing hindrance, motherly presence greatly benefits bonobo sons during the deed. Ben Garrod, University of East Anglia…
Keep reading
Do chimpanzees and orangutans really have midlife crises?
Knowing that chimpanzees and orangutans have personalities, feel emotions and are “almost human” comes as no surprise to most people. However, linking the term “midlife crisis” to chimpanzees and orangutans seems to be somewhat shocking and…
Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Get new stories to your inbox
About Me
Hi, I’m Palm Oil Detective’s Editor in Chief. Palm Oil Detectives is partly a consumer website about palm oil in products and partly an online community for writers, artists and musicians to showcase their work and express their love for endangered species. I have a strong voice for creatures great and small threatened by deforestation. With our collective power we can shift the greed of the retail industry and influence big palm oil to stop cutting down forests. Be bold! Be courageous! Join me and stand up for the animals with your art and your supermarket choices!
Palm Oil Detectives 