When I first heard about palm oil my only thought was ‘oh another oil to use when cooking’. I didn’t consider the impact of using one product over another can have on not only my health but also the planet.
So while I assumed that most of the decisions I made on a daily basis only affected me – I was surprised to find that a simple trip to the grocery store can have a global impact.
About 50% of products on supermarket shelves contain palm oil. From peanut butter to lipstick – there are products you probably couldn’t even imagine would have palm oil in them.
Unfortunately, some people are calling for a ban on palm oil and that just doesn’t make sense. To actively avoid or ban the use of sustainably produced palm oil in our food supply would damage an industry that actively supports environmental protection. It would likely negatively impact the health of our planet and its people.
● What would be used instead? Oil palms require about 1/10th the amount of
land to produce the same amount of oil than the far less efficient soy or canola crops.
The chart below shows the extra forest that would need to be cleared if palm oil were
totally banned for food use.
● Palm oil is non-GMO. The same can’t be said for most soy or corn oils. More than 90%
of these crops are grown with genetically modified seeds.
● Certified sustainably produced palm oil is available. In fact, almost all of the palm oil coming from Malaysia is certified sustainable. A lot of the palm oil used in the U.S. comes from Malaysia. Palm certification is about more than protecting forests and wildlife. It is about providing a living wage for more than a million people employed by this industry including the family farmers (smallholders).
Get the facts before jumping to any conclusions and demand certified sustainable palm oil. It is so important to know the impact for local farmers as well as the impact on the environment if certified sustainable palm oil isn’t being used.
Being conscious about the products I use is something that came naturally to me after having children. I want to truly know what I’m using. Who is making it and what kind of impact it is having. Sustainability is important – especially the impact it will have on the world I leave for my children.
