Check for palm kernel or palm oil in foods and cosmetics - and avoid buying them. There are many alternatives. So, choose differently. Read labels. “Farmed” palm oil is not better. It just means it comes from those plantations I told you about. However, sustainably produced, ethically grown palm oil is a better option, if it comes down to a choice.
Corporations get their palm oil from suppliers. Just like many big companies, they say they don’t know the dirty details - that’s the supplier’s problem. But, in 2020, that’s just not good enough. We need to hold corporations to a higher account - they need to take responsibility for the damage they do, and we need to make sure that we aren’t letting them off the hook.
The Rainforest Alliance Network came up with a list of the top 20 corporations who are the biggest purchasers of palm oil globally - The Snack Food 20. On this list you won’t be surprised to see some players who already have bad track records of environmental awareness, to say the least. Nestle, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo, Hershey’s, Campbell’s, Unilever, ConAgra. Well, there’s 20. And, they can be game changers, if they take effective action.
You can take a look at the Snack Food 20, their promises, and the actions they’ve taken (or not)
here. There are also links to take action, where you can express your own concerns.
You can decide what stays and what goes. As usual, corporations don’t love the idea of honestly listing ingredients. There are more than 500 different names for palm oil derivatives. So, reading labels isn’t that straightforward. You can check
this list which is updated regularly, to see if your favourite snack is a villain. It is not a simple check, mind you. Tip: The fewer ingredients an item has the less likely it is to contain palm oil.
To compound the issue, the WWF is not promoting we abandon palm oil as an ingredient, claiming that substitutes could be even more harmful to the environment, requiring more deforestation. They advocate for sustainable, ethical palm oil production, and supporting companies who have made that commitment. Again, being an informed consumer is the best way you can mitigate the damage you are personally doing with your purchasing habits.
Today, right now, you can make some serious commitments yourself about what you’re going to invest in as a consumer. Because (broken record time), it’s up to you and me to change our purchasing habits, and send a message about what we will and will not accept. Until we do that, not much will change. We have to put our money where our mouth is.
Yours in Sustainability,
Sherri Jackson & Laurel Hood
52 Weeks of Climate Action was created by Sherri Jackson and Laurel Hood. Sherri is a writer, speaker and musician. She is the candidate of record and communications coordinator for the Simcoe-Grey Greens. Laurel Hood, is a retired secondary teacher, transportation lead for the Collingwood Climate Action Team, and volunteer coordinator for the Simcoe-Grey Greens. Visit our blog or sign up at www.52weeksofclimateaction.com.
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