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 using deceptive advertising and greenwashing. The dire health and environmental impacts of palm oil are hidden from consumers by clever greenwashing and outright lies by NGOs, Zoos, researchers and food companies associated with and funded by the palm oil industry. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the lobbying, marketing and greenwashing tactics used by the palm oil industry are reminiscent of the tobacco and alcohol industries.
This report was originally published as: ‘The palm oil industry and noncommunicable diseases’ by Sowmya Kadandale,a Robert Marten,b and Richard Smith, Bull World Health Organ. 2019 Feb 1; 97(2): 118–128. Published online: iris.who.int/handle/10665/2801…
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“There is mutual benefit for #palmoil and processed food industry. The latter targets ads for ultra-processed foods towards children. Similar to #tobacco and #alcohol industries’ targeting of children” ~ @WHO Bulletin. #Boycottpalmoil@WHO Report: “#Palmoil lobbying tactics include fighting regulations, trying to undermine reliable sources of information and using poverty alleviation arguments, similar to the #tobacco/ #alcohol industries.” #Boycottpalmoil
“@RSPOtweets certification has been linked to limited amounts of reduced #palmoil deforestation. A recent study found little impact on forest loss and #fire detection” ~ @WHO Bulletin
We #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
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Deforestation & Extinction Impacts
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@WHO Bulletin: “The palm oil industry entails large-scale #deforestation, incl. loss of up to 50% of trees, endangering species; increased CO2 emissions and #pollution” #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife@WHO report: “The @RSPOtweets #palmoil sustainability certification has been linked to limited reduced #deforestation. A recent study found little impact on forest loss and #fire detection.” #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
@WHO Bulletin: “Studies have found that the @RSPOtweets board members were still associated with companies involved in mass #deforestation.” This is why we #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Greenwashing and Lobbying Impacts
@WHO Bulletin: “The #palmoil industry tries to influence global health policy-making. Tactics include establishing lobbying structures in political and economic hubs, fighting regulations and more” We #Boycottpalmoil@WHO report: “There is mutual benefit for the #palmoil and #processedfood industries. Ads for ultra-processed foods target children – similar to aggressive #advertising by the #tobacco and #alcohol industries” #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO Bulletin 2019: “NGOs such as Palm Oil Investigations withdrew support for the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil @RSPOtweets after evidence of harmful business practices emerged.” #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO Bulletin: “@RSPOtweets’ sustainability certification effort has been linked to limited amounts of reduced #deforestation, with a recent study finding little impact on forest loss and fire detection.” #Boycottpalmoil
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Human Health Impacts
“@WHO and @FAO advise that the evidence linking saturated #fat consumption with increased risk of #cardiovascular disease is convincing.” ~ WHO Bulletin This is why we #Boycottpalmoil“With #palmoil’s unclear food labelling and conflicting information on #health impacts, it can be difficult for consumers to identify palm oil. They may be unaware of what they are eating or its #safety.” ~ @WHO Bulletin
“Although its negative #health impacts are contested, a meta-analysis of increased #palmoil consumption in 23 countries found a strong relationship to higher mortality from #heartdisease.” ~ @WHO Report #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO report: “There is mutual benefit for the #palmoil and #processedfood industries. Ads for ultra-processed foods target children – similar to aggressive advertising by the #tobacco and alcohol industries” #Boycottpalmoil
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Air Pollution Impacts
@WHO #Palmoil Report: “Of major concern is the effect of exposure to #airpollution particulate matter on fetal, infant and child mortality”. #Boycottpalmoil for your children’s #health@WHO #Palmoil Report: “The direct and indirect impact of the palm oil cultivation industry on #children, including #childlabour practices, is especially concerning.” #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO Bulletin: “#Deforestation for palm oil has major #publichealth consequences. Haze #pollution episodes are linked to premature #deaths, #respiratory illnesses and #cardiovascular #disease” #Boycottpalmoil
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@WHO Bulletin: “In Indonesia, around 2 million women are employed in the #palmoil industry. Children dependent on palm oil workers are impacted by lack of child-care, poor maternal #health, poor #nutrition, and difficulty in accessing education.” #Boycottpalmoil
Human Rights & Women’s Rights Impacts
@WHO Bulletin: “In Indonesia, an est. 2 million women work in the #palmoil industry. Children dependent on workers are impacted by lack of child-care, poor maternal #health, poor #nutrition, difficulty in accessing education.”@WHO report on #palmoil: “Investigations by NGOs have found #childlabour and #humanrights violations at Roundtable @RSPOtweets members’ plantations.” This is why we #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO #Palmoil report: “Of major concern is the effect of exposure to #airpollution particulate matter on fetal, infant and child #mortality”. #Boycottpalmoil for your children’s #health
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Abstract
Large-scale industries do not operate in isolation, but have tangible impacts on human and planetary health. An often overlooked actor in the fight against non communicable diseases is the palm oil industry.
The dominance of palm oil in the food processing industry makes it the world’s most widely produced vegetable oil. We applied the commercial determinants of health framework to analyse the palm oil industry. We highlight the industry’s mutually profitable relationship with the processed food industry and its impact on human and planetary health, including detrimental cultivation practices that are linked to respiratory illnesses, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and pollution.
This analysis illustrates many parallels to the contested nature of practices adopted by the alcohol and tobacco industries. The article concludes with suggested actions for researchers, policy-makers and the global health community to address and mitigate the negative impacts of the palm oil industry on human and planetary health.
Introduction
Public health discourse increasingly focuses on the role of alcohol, tobacco and sugar in the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases. Increasingly this dialogue highlights how, in the pursuit of increased profits, the industries involved in these products aim to shape public and political opinion as well as influence research outcomes to influence policies that endanger public health.1,2 The palm oil industry is missing from this dialogue.
Palm oil is one of the world’s most commonly used vegetable oils, present in around half of frequently used food and consumer products, from snacks to cosmetics.3,4 Worldwide production of the oil has increased from 15 million tonnes in 1995 to 66 million tonnes in 2017. The rapid expansion in use is attributed to yields nearly four times other vegetable oil crops, with similar production costs; favourable characteristics for the food industry (its relatively high smoke point and being semi-solid state at room temperature); and strategies aimed at ensuring government policies are supportive to the expansion of palm oil cultivation, production and use.5 While these factors associated with palm oil offer clear advantages for the processed food industry, the oil contains a much higher percentage of saturated fats compared to other vegetable oils.6
Although its negative health impacts are contested,7 a meta-analysis of increased palm oil consumption in 23 countries found a significant relationship with higher mortality from ischaemic heart disease.8
Another systematic review found that palm oil consumption increased blood levels of atherogenic low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.6 As early as 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) described the evidence linking saturated fat consumption with increased risk of cardiovascular disease as convincing.9
The indirect health impacts of oil-palm cultivation are less contested; clearing land for plantations by slash-and-burn practices has led to recurring episodes of harmful haze in South-East Asia.10 The most recent occurrence, in 2015, led to an estimated 100 000 premature deaths in the region from pollutants and documented increases in respiratory, eye and skin diseases.11
The impact of the [palm oil] industry on planetary health, that is, “the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends”,12 through the cultivation practices of oil-palm trees has also been well-documented.
This entails large-scale deforestation, including loss of up to 50% of trees in some tropical forest areas; endangerment of at-risk species; increased greenhouse gas emissions (due to deforestation and drainage of peat bogs); water and soil pollution; and the rise of certain invasive species.13,14
Estimations suggest that more than two-thirds of the palm produced goes to food products, making the processed food industry’s relationship with the palm oil industry critical.15 With the United States Food and Drug Administration’s ban on trans-fatty acids (TFA) due to their potential adverse health impacts in 2015,16 and a similar recommendation by the WHO in 2018,17 an increase in the use of palm oil as a potential replacement for TFA in ultra-processed foods could be anticipated. This paper aims to describe the relationship between the palm oil and processed food industries and how these interconnect with public and planetary health. Box 1 lists the key terminology in the palm oil industry.
Approach
The commercial determinants of health are defined as “strategies and approaches used by the private sector to promote products and choices that are detrimental to health.”19 We adapted a 2016 framework on the commercial determinants of health (Fig. 1) and applied it to the palm oil industry to review the three domains: (i) drivers (internationalization of trade and capital, expanding outreach of corporations and demands of economic growth); (ii) channels (marketing, supply chains, lobbying and corporate citizenship); and (iii) outcomes (on the environment, consumers and health). The environment component was adapted from the initial framework to expand the scope beyond the social environment.
Fig. 1 Commercial determinants of health Source: Republished with permission from Kickbusch et al. 2016.19
Drivers
Internationalisation of trade and capital
Oil-palm plantations cover over 27 million hectares worldwide, an area approximately the size of New Zealand. The industry is estimated to be worth 60 billion United States dollars (US$) and employs 6 million people,7 with an additional 11 million people indirectly dependent on it, particularly in rural areas where jobs can be scarce. In 2014, Indonesia and Malaysia accounted for over 53.3 million (85%) of the 62.4 million tonnes of global palm oil production and have rapidly expanded their farming and exports. Indonesia, for example, increased production from 19.2 tonnes in 2008 to 32.0 tonnes in 2016. The largest importers of palm oil are India, China, the European Union countries, Malaysia and Pakistan.20
The palm oil and processed food industries have mutually benefited from increased sales and consumption of products through rapid internationalisation and trade. This trend is likely to continue as low- and middle-income countries increasingly move from eating fresh, minimally processed foods to ultra-processed products.21 Sales by manufacturers of ultra-processed foods containing palm oil have been expanding.22
Expanding outreach of corporations
Although many companies use palm oil, processing and refining is concentrated in a limited number of corporations. Companies source their supply from their own concessions, from a large number of third-party suppliers and smallholders, both independent and tied through partnership agreements.23 Increasingly, large corporations are expanding palm-oil refining capacity, expanding the scope of industry concentration.24 Indonesia and Malaysia have used government policies, including subsidies and land incentives, to assist industry expansion and facilitate greater investment.23
More than half the plantations in Indonesia are industrial estates of > 6000 hectares owned by private companies, with 40% smallholders with plantations < 25 hectares and 7% state-owned.13 When attempts are made to regulate oil-palm cultivation, industry leaders have highlighted the threat to smallholders’ livelihoods, making palm oil production a controversial political issue.25
Demands of growth
The palm oil industry is projected to reach a production value of US$ 88 billion by 2022.20 The increasing availability of palm oil, alongside increasing numbers of countries banning TFA in processed foods,26,27 means that palm oil will likely remain the food industry’s preferred vegetable oil in ultra-processed foods. With China and India continuing to import palm oil for consumption, the growth in its use is anticipated to continue.
Channels
Marketing
Marketing of palm oil does not occur in the traditional sense. Responding to a backlash against accusations of poor environmental and labour practices, the industry has sought to portray its products as sustainable, while highlighting the contribution to poverty alleviation. For example, in advance of the European Union’s 2020 ban on palm oil as a biofuel, the industry launched advertisements featuring smallholder farmers whose livelihoods would be lost.25 There is also a mutual benefit for the palm oil and processed food industry, with the latter targeting advertisements for ultra-processed foods towards children (similar to efforts by the tobacco and alcohol industries in targeting children and adolescents)28,29 and the palm oil refining industry benefiting from the corresponding increase in sales of foods containing palm oil.30–33
There is also a mutual benefit for the palm oil and processed food industry, with the latter targeting advertisements for ultra-processed foods towards children (similar to efforts by the tobacco and alcohol industries in targeting children and adolescents)28,29 and the palm oil refining industry benefiting from the corresponding increase in sales of foods containing palm oil.30–33
Supply chain
The global palm oil supply chain has many businesses, systems and structures, making it difficult to draw a clear line between the different components and identify the impact of each actor.23 For example, a recent brief by the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Ceres, unpacks the key elements of the supply chain and the American industries and companies linked to them (Fig. 2).34 Unilever PLC, who claim to be the largest user of physically certified palm oil in the consumer goods industry,35 recently published details of its entire palm oil supply chain; this included 300 direct suppliers and 1400 mills used in its food, personal care and biofuel products.26,27 The scale of the supply chain is massive and, even by the company’s own admission, social and environmental issues persist.26 The supply chain demonstrates a strong association between the palm oil and processed food industries. Global food processing corporations are further venturing into palm oil refining, creating blurred lines across the supply chain, making it difficult to hold individual actors accountable for any adverse outcomes.
Fig. 2 Global palm oil supply chain Source: Adapted with permission from Ceres, 2018.34
Lobbying
Apart from establishing a strong lobbying presence in the European Union,1 the palm oil industry has fostered partnerships with policy and research institutes providing policy recommendations against regulation.36
For example, the industry-backed World Growth Institute criticised the World Bank’s framework for palm-oil engagement – which seeks prioritisation of smallholders over large corporations and cultivation of plantations on degraded land instead of forested land – as ‘anti-poor’.37
The palm oil industry has also sought to influence global health policy-making. For example, during the drafting of the 2003 WHO/FAO report on Diet, Nutrition and Prevention of Chronic Diseases, the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council questioned the palm oil-related health concerns raised by the report and suggested that any efforts to curb consumption would threaten several million peoples’ livelihoods.33
The palm oil industry has also sought to influence global health policy-making. These tactics include establishing lobbying structures in political and economic hubs, fighting regulations, attempting to undermine reliable sources of information and using poverty alleviation arguments, are similar to those pursued by the tobacco and alcohol industries.38,39
Corporate citizenship
Several major companies and countries have joined to create industry associations to showcase their sustainability efforts. These are membership organizations composed of oil-palm growers, palm oil producers, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, investors and NGOs which certify sustainability and fair labour standards and include entities such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and country-specific groups in Indonesia and Malaysia.
In 2017, the Roundtable certified approximately 13.4 tonnes (approximately 20%) of the global production as sustainable. The Roundtable also has partnerships with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, United Nations Environment and United Nations Children’s Fund, aimed at improving its members’ business practices. Twelve of the 16 Roundtable board members are representatives of palm oil processers, manufacturers, retailers, banks, investors or international food processing companies.
The sustainability certification effort has been linked to limited amounts of reduced deforestation, with a recent study finding little impact on forest loss and fire detection.40 Other studies have found that the Roundtable’s board members were still associated with companies involved in mass deforestation.41 Investigations by NGOs have found child labour and human rights violations at Roundtable members’ plantations.42
Despite some positive initiatives by the palm oil and processed food industries to cultivate, produce and source palm oil through sustainable, ethical practices, challenges remain.
Agencies entering partnerships with industry-led initiatives are at risk of becoming complicit in detrimental practices. Indeed, NGOs such as Palm Oil Investigations withdrew support for the Roundtable after evidence of harmful business practices emerged.43
Outcomes
Given the importance of assessing the outcomes of the palm oil industry, we conducted a rapid review of the literature to better understand the impact on the environment, consumers and health. We made a keyword search initially via the PubMed® online database to identify peer-reviewed articles and subsequently via Google search engine to identify other sources of information (Box 2). The review was conducted in June and July 2018 and updated in October 2018. Of 435 articles identified and scanned, we included 40 peer-reviewed articles and eight articles from the grey literature (Fig. 3; Table 1).
Environment
Forest, peatland and biodiversity losses, increased greenhouse gas emissions and habitat fragmentation as well as pollution are environmental concerns continually linked to the palm oil industry.5,10,12,46,52,53,63,69,75,77 In response, countries including Indonesia and Malaysia are increasing industry regulation, seeking to prevent slash-and-burn practices and restoring peatlands.11 Although the results are limited, companies are attempting to engage in more sustainable palm oil cultivation and production practices.13
Nevertheless, plantations with palm sustainability certification only encompass a fifth of all oil-palm cultivation, certification does not yield the desired benefits and there is limited consumer demand for sustainable palm oil.65The palm oil industry and noncommunicable diseases’, 2019.
Consumers
In recent years, there have been campaigns by NGOs to increase consumer awareness about palm oil production practices, although success appears limited.65,80 From the processed food industry and health perspective, much work remains to be done. Palm oil derivatives in food, household and cosmetic products can be listed in any one or more of its 200 alternate names.79 Some countries such as Australia and New Zealand only require peanut, sesame and soy oils to be explicitly labelled, while palm oil can fall under a generic category of vegetable oil.79 The World Wildlife Fund lists more than 25 common alternatives to palm oil labelling found in food products (Box 1).18
With its inclusion in many everyday products, unclear food labelling and sometimes conflicting information on health impacts, it can be difficult to know how to identify palm oil in foods. Consumers may be unaware of what they are eating or its safety.
Learn how to easily identify and avoid palm oil
Even when it’s hidden in the ingredients.
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Learn how to avoid palm oil
Health
Reports of the health impacts of palm oil consumption in foods are mixed.44,49,51,55,59,61,66,74,76 Some studies link consumption of palm oil to increased ischaemic heart disease mortality, raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other adverse effects.6,8,9 Other studies show no negative effects7 or even favourable health outcomes from palm oil consumption.7,45,47,48,50,57,60,67,78
Four of the nine studies in our literature search showing overwhelmingly positive health associations were authored by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, again drawing parallels with the tobacco and alcohol industries38,39 and calling into question the credibility of claims in favour of increased palm oil consumption.
The contested nature of the evidence suggests the need for independent, comprehensive studies of the health impact of palm oil consumption. Countries such as Fiji, India and Thailand have initiated policy dialogues and analyses aimed at better understanding the role of palm oil in diets and best approaches to reducing saturated fats in the food-chain, but these discussions are far from conclusive.54,58,70,72,73
More unequivocally, land-clearing practices for oil palm cultivation have major public health consequences. Since the 1990s, air pollution from slash-and-burn practices have affected the health of populations in South-East Asia, especially the most vulnerable groups of the population, such as infants and children.11,56 Haze episodes, even across country borders, have been linked to premature deaths and increased respiratory illness as well as cardiovascular diseases.62,71
Of major concern is the effect of exposure to particulate matter on fetal, infant and child mortality, as well as children’s cognitive, educational and economic attainment.81,82 The direct and indirect impact of the palm oil cultivation industry on children, including child labour practices, is especially concerning. In Indonesia, around half of 4 million people employed in the industry are estimated to be women. Even when they are not directly employed, children dependent on palm oil workers are adversely affected by inadequate maternity protection, low breastfeeding rates, lack of child-care opportunities, poor maternal health and nutrition, and difficultly in accessing education.64
Discussion
This paper illustrates how the palm oil industry, in close connection with the processed food industry, impacts human and planetary health. The impact also cuts across other sectors, such as education, child protection, as well as having implications for gender-related policies and practices. A limitation of our rapid review is that not all the information from these industries is publicly available and, with limited peer-reviewed materials available on the palm oil industry, we included media reports, environmental activist web sites and other grey literature. This article is not meant to be exhaustive and therefore does not avert the need for an extensive systematic review of the human and planetary health outcomes of the palm oil industry, spanning other sectors such as labour, gender and use as biofuel.
The palm oil industry is an overlooked actor in discussions on noncommunicable diseases. The current widespread use of palm oil draws attention to the ultra-processed unhealthy food system and the need to deepen and expand existing research on the industry. However, we need to carefully consider practical policy options and their implications. For example, encouraging use of oils with lower saturated fat content in ultra-processed foods could have a greater detrimental impact on the environment than palm oil, through further deforestation and loss of biodiversity (given the need for more natural resources to cultivate such crops). Policy-makers may therefore need to consider ways to reduce the demand for oils more specifically and for unhealthy ultra-processed foods more broadly. Such actions would benefit not only the noncommunicable disease agenda, but also human and planetary health as part of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Suggestions for action
Addressing the palm oil industry’s impact goes beyond a single industry, product or sector. Taking a multifaceted approach, we suggest three sets of actions for researchers, policy-makers and the global health community (NGOs and international organizations; Box 3).
Suggested actions to address the palm oil industry’s impact
Address impact on health
Researchers
- Investigate the health impact of ultra-processed foods, including specific ingredients such as palm oil;
- study the long-term consequences of daily consumption of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods and their ingredients, including the effects on children; and
- research the effect of combinations of ingredients in ultra-processed foods.
Policy-makers
- Identify and address industries that adversely impact noncommunicable diseases and the broader human and planetary health agenda;
- develop and enforce stricter labelling requirements for ultra-processed foods, including listing of ingredients and their potential harmful effects;
- regulate the palm oil supply chains across sectors such as health, environment, labour, and child protection, including needed gender-related policies and practices; and
- consider measures to reduce the production and consumption of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods.
Global health community
- Tackle the issue of unhealthy mass-produced and processed foods and beverages synergistically instead of discretely by ingredient (e.g. palm oil, sugar, fats); and
- facilitate consumer awareness and action on the negative impacts of palm oil cultivation, production and consumption.
Mitigate industry influences
Researchers
- Drawing on experience with the tobacco and alcohol industries, understand and mitigate the influence of industries involved in palm oil production and manufactured foods; and
- exercise caution when engaging in research activities using funding from the palm oil and related industries.
Policy-makers
- Avoid the influence of lobbying by food industries whose practices adversely impact human and planetary health;
- develop and enforce strict regulations that avoid political patronage or related practices (i.e. elected officials sitting on industry boards); and
- introduce measures to reduce the population’s consumption of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods (e.g. by taxation, restricting advertising) and to increase the consumption of healthier, whole foods.
Global health community
- When considering partnerships with the palm oil industry or their related entities, ensure public health priorities are not co-opted by private sector agendas; and
- avoid the risk of perceived or real complicity, including avoiding funding or partnership opportunities for health that might come at the expense of other sectors such as environment or labour.
Work across SDGs
Researchers
- Study interlinkages across complex systems of the palm oil and related industries aimed at identifying cross-sectoral solutions.
Policy-makers
- Design policies that do not sacrifice longer-term health, environmental and social concerns for immediate economic gains and profits.
Global health community
- Identify allies across sectors such as environment, child protection, labour and gender that can join in evidence generation and advocacy around the detrimental impacts of palm oil on human and planetary health; and
- reform global health governance structures and funding mechanisms with the aim of promoting intersectoral action instead of narrow disease-specific programmes.
SDG: sustainable development goal.
Understand impact on health
We need to better understand and address the content, health impact and supply chains of palm oil products. The evidence on health remains mixed. Furthermore, the so-called cocktail effect remains unknown; individual ingredients of ultra-processed foods may be harmless alone, but consumed in combination, daily, could be damaging.83 This also includes understanding the associated supply chains and the needed accountability measures aimed at addressing potential determinantal actions from the palm oil and related industries.
Mitigate industry influences
We need to mitigate the influence of the palm oil and related industries on public health policies and programmes. The relationship between the palm oil and processed food industries, and the tactics they employ, resembles practices adopted by the tobacco and alcohol industries. However, the palm oil industry receives comparatively little scrutiny. Palm oil use will likely continue, given the relatively low production costs of palm oil, high profit margins of ultra-processed foods, abundant use of palm oil in processed foods and prevalence of palm oil use in several industries (without a current viable alternative). As seen with recent examples, the public health community, whether multilateral agencies84 or research institutes85, is not immune to industry influence. Political ties to industries merit further exploration.86
Work across the SDGs
Palm oil use in ultra-processed foods follows a long, complex chain. Even as the direct health impact remains unclear, cultivation and production and related practices contribute to environmental pollution, respiratory illnesses and loss of biodiversity. Furthermore, with documented forced and child labour and human rights abuses, as well as gender-related issues, such as inadequate maternity protections in palm oil plantations, understanding and addressing the influence of the palm oil industry cuts across different sectors and different SDGs. Therefore, narrow, health-specific measures cannot be implemented in isolation.
Conclusions
As the most prevalent vegetable oil in food manufacturing, palm oil is an integral component of the food supply chain. While the direct health effects of palm oil remain contested, the indirect health impacts of cultivating this product are many. Commercial determinants play a vital role in a complex system that leads to the production and consumption of foods detrimental to human health. The discourse on noncommunicable diseases and human health can no longer be separated from the dialogue on planetary health.
Competing interests:
None declared.
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Human Health Impacts
“@WHO and @FAO advise that the evidence linking saturated #fat consumption with increased risk of #cardiovascular disease is convincing.” ~ WHO Bulletin This is why we #Boycottpalmoil“With #palmoil’s unclear food labelling and conflicting information on #health impacts, it can be difficult for consumers to identify palm oil. They may be unaware of what they are eating or its #safety.” ~ @WHO Bulletin
“Although its negative #health impacts are contested, a meta-analysis of increased #palmoil consumption in 23 countries found a strong relationship to higher mortality from #heartdisease.” ~ @WHO Report #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO report: “There is mutual benefit for the #palmoil and #processedfood industries. Ads for ultra-processed foods target children – similar to aggressive advertising by the #tobacco and alcohol industries” #Boycottpalmoil
Download these videos and images
Air Pollution Impacts
@WHO #Palmoil Report: “Of major concern is the effect of exposure to #airpollution particulate matter on fetal, infant and child mortality”. #Boycottpalmoil for your children’s #health@WHO #Palmoil Report: “The direct and indirect impact of the palm oil cultivation industry on #children, including #childlabour practices, is especially concerning.” #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO Bulletin: “#Deforestation for palm oil has major #publichealth consequences. Haze #pollution episodes are linked to premature #deaths, #respiratory illnesses and #cardiovascular #disease” #Boycottpalmoil
Download these videos and images
@WHO Bulletin: “In Indonesia, around 2 million women are employed in the #palmoil industry. Children dependent on palm oil workers are impacted by lack of child-care, poor maternal #health, poor #nutrition, and difficulty in accessing education.” #Boycottpalmoil
Human Rights & Women’s Rights Impacts
@WHO Bulletin: “In Indonesia, an est. 2 million women work in the #palmoil industry. Children dependent on workers are impacted by lack of child-care, poor maternal #health, poor #nutrition, difficulty in accessing education.”@WHO report on #palmoil: “Investigations by NGOs have found #childlabour and #humanrights violations at Roundtable @RSPOtweets members’ plantations.” This is why we #Boycottpalmoil
@WHO #Palmoil report: “Of major concern is the effect of exposure to #airpollution particulate matter on fetal, infant and child #mortality”. #Boycottpalmoil for your children’s #health
Download all videos and images
Download these videos and images
Palm Oil Problem #1 Vague Product Labelling
There is no legislation to stop this vague product labelling of palm oil Despite the lobbying and activism of various environmental groups and those concerned with consumer rights, palm oil remains labelled in a…
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Greenwashing Tactic #4: Fake Labels
The Counterpunch: Consumer Solutions To Fight Extinction
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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.
#advertising #airpollution #alcohol #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottpalmoilTweet #cardiovascular #childlabour #children #corporateCapture #deaths #deforestation #disease #fat #fire #greenwash #greenwashing #health #healthTweet #heartdisease #humanRights #HumanRights #lobbying #mortality #News #nutrition #OrangutanLandTrust #PalmOil #palmOilAndHealth #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pollution #processedfood #publichealth #research #respiratory #RSPO #RSPOGreenwashing #safety #tobacco #womenSRights #WorldHealthOrganisation
Palm oil industry lobbying and greenwashing is like Big Tobacco - World Health Organisation (WHO) Bulletin
This report was originally published as: 'The palm oil industry and noncommunicable diseases' by Sowmya Kadandale,a Robert Marten,b and Richard…Vimeo
Palm Oil Problem #1 Vague Product Labelling
Palm oil is contained in around 60% of food items, cleaning products and toiletries. It is obscured by changing the ingredient name.There is no legislation to stop this vague product labelling of palm oil
Despite the lobbying and activism of various environmental groups and those concerned with consumer rights, palm oil remains labelled in a vague unclear way. It’s hidden in plain sight, an ingredient in everything from ice-cream to lipstick, biscuits to toothpaste.Part of the mission of this website is to educate people on the products that A. contain palm oil and B. decipher whether or not this palm oil is from a sustainable source.
When it’s not clearly labelled as #Palmoil you can identify it on product packaging with these ingredient prefixes:STEAR, GLYC, PALM, LAUR. That’s all you need to remember 💚 to #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Here is how the palm oil lobby AKA Orangutan Land Trust justify obscuring the simple name ‘palm oil’ on the label
Leaving aside the fact that many parts of the world have different food labelling laws.I guess what this greenwashing lobbyist is saying is that consumers should know all of the 400 names? What a load of bullshit.
twitter.com/orangulandtrust/st…Palm oil’s many names
Other names for palm oil
Here’s an abbreviated list of other names for palm oil
To help you navigate these confusing waters and avoid unwittingly voting for rainforest destruction with your dollars, here is a partial list of other names for palm oil-derived ingredients:*
- PKO – Palm Kernel Oil
- PKO fractionations: Palm Kernel Stearin (PKs); Palm Kernel Olein (PKOo)
- PHPKO – Partially hydrogenated Palm Oil
- FP(K)O – Fractionated Palm Oil
- OPKO – Organic Palm Kernel Oil
- Palmitate – Vitamin A or Asorbyl Palmitate (NOTE: Vitamin A Palmitate is a very common ingredient in breakfast cereals and we have confirmed 100% of the samples we’ve investigated to be derived from palm oil)
- Palmate
- Sodium Laureth Sulphate (Can also be from coconut)
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphates (can also be from ricinus oil)
- Sodium dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
- Elaeis Guineensis
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Stearic Acid
- Chemicals which contain palm oil
- Steareth -2
- Steareth -20
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
- Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and/or palm)
- Hydrated palm glycerides
- Sodium isostearoyl lactylaye (derived from vegetable stearic acid)
- Cetyl palmitate and octyl palmitate (names with palmitate at the end are usually derived from palm oil, but as in the case of Vitamin A Palmitate, very rarely a company will use a different vegetable oil)
Here’s the full list for your reference
It’s a disgusting indictment on democracy when something as simple as ingredients on the products we consume cannot be standarised and simplified at consumers’ request. The entire world’s forests are at stake! Skip to the end to sign the most recent petitions to standardise palm oil on product labels in Australia and New Zealand.1,2-OCLanediol
1,2-Octyleneglycol
2-Ethyl Hexyl Stearate
100 Cetyl/stearyl ether
304
α-hydroxy-N-stearoylphytosphingosine
acetylated glycol stearate
Acetylated monoglycerides
Acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472a/E472a)
Acrylated Palm Oil
APO
Acrylates/Palmeth-25
AHCOHOL 0810 (Octyl Decyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 0898 (Octyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1098 (Decyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1216 (Lauryl/Myristyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1299 (Lauryl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1498 (Myristyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL 1618 (Cetyl Stearyl/Cetearyl Alcohol)
AHCOHOL 1698 (Cetyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL 1898 (Stearyl Alcohol NF)
AHCOHOL® Fatty Alcohols
Alkyl alcohol Aluminium stearate
Alkyl polyglucoside
Aluminium, calcium, sodium, magnesium salts of fatty acids (470/E470a; E470b)
Aluminum dimyristate
Aluminum Isostearates
Aluminium myristate
Aluminium palmitate
Aluminium stearate
Ammonium laureth sulphate
Ammonium lauryl sulphate
Anionic & Non Anionic Surfactants (too generic an ingredient, need more info on)
Arachamide mea
Ascorbyl palmitate
Ascorbyl palmitate (304)
Ascorbyl stearate
Azelaic acid
Behenic acid 85% (C22)
Behentrimonium methosulphate
BTMS
beta Carotene
Biodiesal
Butyl myristate
Butyl stearate
Butyl Stearate IPM (Isopropyl Myristate)
C16
C17
C18
CAB
Calcium lactylate
Calcium oleyl lactylate
Calcium myristate
Calcium stearate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate (482/E482)
CAPB
CAPB-KG30
CAPB-KG45
Capric Acid (C10)Capric triglyceride
Capryl Glucoside
Caprylamine
Caprylic acid
Caprylic acid (C8))
Caprylic triglyceride
Caprylic/capric acid (C810)
Caprylic-capric triglycerides
Caprylic-capric-stearic triglyceride
Capryloyl glycine
Caprylyl glycol
Carboxylic acid
Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) (can come from PKC cellulose)
CDE
CDE K85
CDE K90
CDE-K85
CDE-K90
Ceteareth (2-100)
Cetearyl alcohol
Cetearyl ethylhexanote
Cetearyl glucoside
Cetearyl isononanoate
Cetearyl olivate
Ceteth-20
Ceteth-24
Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)
CTAB
Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC)
CTAC
Cetrimonium bromide
Cetrimonium chloride
Cetostearyl alcohol
Cetyl acetate
Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl ethylhexanoate
Cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose
Cetyl lactate
Cetyl myristate
Cetyl octanoate
Cetyl palmitate
Cetyl ricinoleate
Cetyl-PG Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Cetyl/stearyl ether
Citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472c/E472c)
Citris seed extract
CMEA
CME-K85
CME-K95
Coco – Caprylate
Coco – polyglucose
Cocoyl sarcosine
Coco – DEA
Coco – Glucoside
Coco Alkyl Betaine
Coco MEA
Cocoa butter equivalent (CBE)
Cocoa butter substitute (CBS)
Cocoamidopropyl Amine Oxide
Cocodiethanolamide
Cocomide – DEA
cocomide – MEA
Cocomidopropyl – Betaine
Cocomonoethanolamide
Coconut Fatty Acid
Decal – Glucosde
Decyl Myristate
Decyl oleate
Diacetyltartaric and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472e/E472e)
Dicaprylyl Ether
dicocoyl ethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate
Dicocoyl Pentaerythrityl Distearyl Citrate
Dilinoleic acid
Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate
Distilled Fatty Acids
Distilled Monoglyceride Palm
Distilled Palm Kernel (DPK)
Dried Yeast
EBS – Ethylene Bis Stearamide
EBS Beads
EBS SF
EBS SP
Elaeis guineensis oil
Emulsifier 422
Emulsifier 430
Emulsifier 431
Emulsifier 432
Emulsifier 433
Emulsifier 434
Emulsifier 436
Emulsifier 470
Emulsifier 470a
Emulsifier 470b
Emulsifier 471
Emulsifier 471a
Emulsifier 471b
Emulsifier 471c
Emulsifier 471d
Emulsifier 472e
Emulsifier 473
Emulsifier 474
Emulsifier 475
Emulsifier 476
Emulsifier 477
Emulsifier 478
Emulsifier 481
Emulsifier 482
Emulsifier 483
Emulsifier 484
Emulsifier 485
Emulsifier 493
Emulsifier 494
Emulsifier 495
Epoxidized palm oil (uv cured coatings)
Emulsifying wax
Ethoxylated glycerol monooleate
Ethoxylated lauryl alcohol
Ethoxylated monoglycerides
Ethoxylated Sorbitan monostearate (SMS)
Ethoxylated Sorbitan Mono-stearate (STS)
Ethoxylated palm oil
Ethyl lauroyl arginate (243)
Ethylene glycol monostearate
Ethylhexyl hydroxystearate
Ethylhexyl myristate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Ethylhexyl stearate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Ethylene glycol diesters
Ethylene glycol esters
Ethylene glycol monoesters
Ethylene glycol monostearate
Ethyhexylglycerin
Ethyhexyl hydroxystearate
Ethylhexyl myristate
Ethylhexyl palminate
Ethylhexyl stearateFatty Acid Diethanolamides
Fatty Acid Monoethanolamides
Fatty Acids
Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate
Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylate
Fatty alcohol sulphates
Fatty isethionate
Fractionated Palm Methyl Esters
Glycerin
Glycerin or glycerol (442)
Glycerine
Glyceryl cocoate
Glyceryl esters
Glycerol di-myristate
Glyceryl distearate
Glyceryl laurate
glyceryl monococoate
Glyceryl monostearate
Glyceryl myristate
Glyceryl oleate
Glyceryl polymethacrylate
Glyceryl rosinate
Glyceryl stearate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Glyceryl tripalmitate
Glycol distearate
Glycol stearate
Grapefruit seed extract
Guineesis (palm)
Hexadecylic
Hexyl laurate
Hexyldecanol
Humectant 422
Hydrogenated palm glycerides
IPO (Isopropyl Oleate)
Isopropyl isostearate
Isoamyl laurate
Isobutyl myristate
Isocetyl alcohol
Isocetyl myristate
Isodecyl oleate
Isopropyl esters
Isopropyl isostearate
Isopropyl myristate
Isopropyl palmitate
Isopropyl titanium triisostearate
Isostearamide DEA
Isostearate DEA
Isostearic acid
Isostearyl alcohol
Isostearyl isostearate
Isostearyl myristate
Isostearyl neopentanoate
Isotridecyl myristate
Lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472b/E472b)
Lactylated Monoglycerides
Lauramide DEA
Lauramide MEA
Lauramine oxide
Laureth
Laureth-1,
Laureth-2
Laureth-3
Laureth-5
Laureth-6
Laureth-7
Laureth-8
Laureth-9
Laureth-10
Laureth-11
Laureth-12
Laureth-13
Laureth-14
Laureth-15
Laureth-16
Laureth-20
Laureth-21
Laureth-25
Laureth-30
Laureth-38
Laureth-40
Laureth-50
Lauric acid
Lauric Acid (C12)
Lauroyl sarcosine
Lauryl Alcohol Ethoxylates (2, 3 & 4 Mole)
Lauryl betaine
Lauryl dimonium hydrolysed collagen
Lauryl glucoside
Lauryl lactate
Laurel myristate
Lauryl pyrrolidone
Lauryl sarcosine
Lecithin
Lecithin isopropyl palm oil
Linoleic acid
Magnesium myristate
Magnesium stearate
Metallic stearates
Methyl laurate (1214)
Methyl myristate
Methyl laurate stearate (1218)
Methyl oleate (1898)
Methyl palmitate-stearate (1618)
(Methyl palmitate-stearate – DPK)
Mixed tartaric, acetic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (472f/E472f)
Mono-and-di-glycerides of fatty acids (471/E471)
Mono glycerides of fatty acids
Monoglyceride citrate
Monopalmitate
Myreth 3 myristateMyristate
Myristic acid
Myristic Acid (C14))
Myristic Cetrimonium Chloride Acid
Myristoyl
Myristyl alcohol
Myristyl myristate
Myristoyl Sarcosine
Myristoyl Sarcosinate
Myristyl alcohol
Myristyl myristate
n- Butyl estersn-Octane-1,2-diol
N-stearoyl phytosphingosine
N-stearoyl sphinganine
Octandiol
Octan-1,2-diol
Octyl palmitate
Octyl stearate
Octyldodecyl myristate
Octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate
Oleamide MIPA
Oleic acid
Oleic Acid FGK
Oleyl betaine
Oleyl myristate
Oleoyl sarcsine
Olivem 1000
Olive – emulse
Oliv-wax LQC
PALMESTER fatty esters
Palm fruit oil
Palmitoleic acid
Palm Kernel Acid
Palm kernel cakePalm Kernel Diethanolamide
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid
Palm Kernel Monoethanolamide
Palm kernel oil
Palm Methyl Esters
Palm oil
Palm olein
Palm stearine
Palm Sterine (PS)
Palmate
Palmitamidopropyl betaine
Palmitamidopropyltrimonium chloride
Palmitate
Palmitic acid
Palmitic Acid (C16)
Palmitoyl acid
Palmitoyl alcohol
Palm oleic acid
Palmitoyl myristyl serinate
Palmitoyl oligopeptide
Palmitoyl oxostearamide
Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3
Palm Methyl Ester
PBS Base
Palmfonate
PalmosaltPEG-2 cetyl/stearyl ether
PEG – 7
PEG-100 stearate
PEG-12 Carnauba
PEG-15 stearyl ether
PEG-150 distearate
PEG-2 oleamine
PEG-20 stearate
PEG-4 laurate
PEG-40 stearate
PEG-8 distearate
PEG-8 stearate
PEG-80 sorbitan laurate
Pentaerythritol tetra caprai/caprylate
Pentaerythrityl tetracaprylate/tetracapratePentaerythrityl tetraisostearate
Peptide complex
PG dicaprylate/caprate
PK oleic acidPK DEA
PK MEA
Planta-Cleanse
PME 1214 (Methyl Laurate Myristate)
PME 1218 (Methyl Laurate Stearate)
PME 1298 (Methyl Laurate) PME 1618
PME 1618 (Methyl Palmitate Oleate)
PME 1698 (Methyl Palmitate)
PME 1898 (Methyl Oleate – PK)
POFA (palm oil fuel ash)
Polyethylene glycol
Polyethylene (40) stearate (431)
Polyglycerate-60
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (475/E475)
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid (476/E476)
Polyglycerol-2 oleyl ether
Polyglyceryl-3 dilisostearate
Polyglyceryl-4 isostearate
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate
Polyglyceryl-4 oleyl ether
Polyoxyethylene
Polyoxyethylene Glycol (PEG-7)
Polysorbate 60
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan monostearate (435/E435)
Polysorbate 65
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan tristearate (436/E436)
Polysorbate 80
polyoxyethylene (20)
sorbitan monoolate (433/E433)
Polysorbate-20
Polysorbate-40
Polysorbate-60
Polysorbate-65
Polysorbate-80
Polysorbate-85
POME palm oil mill effluent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Potassium Palmitate
Potassium myristate
Potassium stearate
PPG-15 stearate ether
PPG-4 Laureth-5
Propylene glycol monoester
Propylene glycol myristatePropylene glycol
Propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (477/E477)
Propylene glycol laurate
Propylene glycol stearate
Retinyl palmitate
Rubber Grade Stearic Acid
Saponified elaeis guineensis
Sleareth
SLES
SLS
Sodium cetearyl sulphate
Sodium Coco Sulphate
sodium cocoyl glycinate
Sodium cocoyl isethionateSodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS or NaDS)
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylaye
Sodium lactylate
Sodium laurate
Sodium laurel
Sodium laureth sulfate
Sodium laureth sulphate
Sodium laureth-13 carboxylate
Sodium lauroamphoacetate
Sodium lauroyl glutamate
Sodium lauroyl lactylate
Sodium lauryl
Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES)
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
Sodium lauryl sulphate
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate
Sodium myristate
sodium oleyl lactylate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
Sodium palm kernelate
Sodium palm kerneloyl isethionate
Sodium palmate
Sodium palmitate
Sodium stearate
Sodium stearoyl fumarate
Sodium Stearoyl glutamate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate
sodium stearoyl lactylate (481/E481)
Solubiliser PS20
Sorbitan Caprylate
Sorbitan Cocoate
Sorbitan diisostearate
Sorbitan Distearate
Sorbitan esterSorbitan isotearate
Sorbitan laurate
Sorbitan monoglyceride
Sorbitan monolaurate
Sorbitan monopalmitateSorbitan monostearate (491)
Sorbitan palmitate
Sorbitan sesquioleate
Sorbitan trioleate
Sorbitan tristearate
Sorbitan tristearate (492)
Sorbitan triglyceride
stearalkonium bentonite
Stearalkonium chloride
Stearalkonium hectorite
Stearamide MEA
Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine
Stearamine Oxide
Steareth – 2
Steareth – 7
Steareth – 10
Steareth – 11
Steareth – 13
Steareth – 14
Steareth – 15
Steareth – 16
Steareth – 20
Steareth – 21
Steareth – 25
Steareth – 27
Steareth – 30
Steareth – 40
Steareth – 50
Steareth – 100
Stearic Acid (C18)& (570)
Stearic acid (vegetable oil)
Stearic Acid 50 NF Powder
Stearic Acid 55% 65%, 70%, 90%
Stearic acid or fatty acid (570)
Stearic hydrazide
Stearone
Stearoxytrimethylsilane
Stearoyl sarcosine
Stearyl acetate
Stearyl alcohol
Stearyl alcohol NF
Stearyl caprylate,
Stearyl citrate
Stearyl dimethicone
Stearyl glycyrrhetinate
Stearyl heptanoate
Stearyl Octanoate
Stearyl Stearate
Stearyl tartarate
Stearyltrimethylammonium Chloride
Stearoyl lactic acid
Stearyldimethyl amine
Steartrimonium chloride
Succinylated monoglyceridesSucrose esters of fatty acids (473/E473)
sucrose distearate
sucrose oleate
sucrose tristearate
Shea butter (extended)
Sucrose stearate
Sulphonated Methyl Esters
Synthetic beeswax
Taxanomic
TEA-lauryl sulphate
TEA-stearate
Temest 2 EHC (Ethylhexyl Cocoate)
Temest 2 EHP (Ethylhexyl Palmitate)
Temest 2 EHS (Ethylhexyl Stearate)
Temest 810 (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
Temest 99 (Isononyl Isononanonate)
Temest ALB (C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate)
Temest CTE (Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate)
Temest CTN (Cetearyl Isononanoate)
Temest DO (Decyl Oleate)
Tetradecylocadecyl myristate
Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate
Tocopheryl linoleate
Triacetin
Triacetin (1518)
Tribehenin
Tricaprylin
Tridecyl myristate
Triisopropanolamine
Triple Pressed Stearic Acid
Tristearin
Veg Emulse
Vegetable Emulsifier
Vegetable glycerine
Vegetable gum (466)
vegetable mono diglycerides
vegetable oil
Vit A
Zinc myristate
Zinc stearate
Mandatory palm oil labelling
Currently, the EU and the UK mandates that all products must clearly label palm oil on their products. It wasn’t that hard, and it resulted in greater consumer choice so that consumers could support and save the animals they love, rather than harming them. Let’s demand the same in Australia and New Zealand now!We want mandatory Palm Oil labelling on all products in Australia!
A victory for common sense and the consumers’ rights to know.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…
twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…
twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
#consumerRights #labelling #PalmOil #productMarketing
