Simple boycotting of Palm is NOT the answer....
Unfortunately, most palm product boy-cotters don't seem to be aware of or are not interested in the facts about palm:
1. The Oil Palm tree is the singularly most efficient/productive plant when it comes to how much oil is produced from it. The Oil Palm produces 4 to 10 times more oil than ANY other vegetable oil plant, including soy and rapeseed. In fact, the Oil Palm produces 10 times more oil than Soy bean plants, and the Oil Palm requires at a minimum 10% LESS land than does the soy bean in order to produce that 10-fold increase in vegetable oil.
2. If everyone decided to boycott palm oil and related products (and, for the sake of fantasy let's suppose all of the palm growers/producers decided to drop palm and go with another vegetable crop [which will NEVER happen]), then the amount of planetary land which would need to be deforested and chewed up for soy farms would INCREASE. Deforestation would increase, NOT decrease. This would ultimately cause MORE destruction to the ecology and wildlife of our already seriously endangered planet.
3. The correct, educated, informed and responsibly solution is to immediately switch to SUSTAINABLE Palm Oil and its related products. SUSTAINABLE Palm Oil promotes the following (through a rigorous set of regulations and criteria):
3a* An elimination of deforestation (in the areas where sustainable palm is managed), through ecologically respectful planting of palm trees on already existing agricultural land (called Zero-Burning Replanting). When a palm tree on the managed acreage dies, a new palm tree is planted in its spot (no land is slash-n-burned/cleared). In Fact, the Rainforest Alliance's regulations require that actual RE-Forestation takes place to restore the forests on land that is deemed not needed for the palm farm. Zero burning is non-polluting, contributes positively towards minimizing global warming, and complies with environmental legislation
3b* An elimination of chemical pesticides and herbicides. These are replaced with natural, integrated wildlife & plant-based pest control techniques. (certain Plants are sown within the palm tree acreage which keep bagworms and caterpillars at bay, while Owls [who live in harmony on the grounds] keep the rat population down).
3c* Local peoples who grow, harvest and process the oil from the managed Oil Palm farms are now provided with fair wages, decent housing, medical care and education for better, healthier, safer lives for themselves and their families (people growing Oil Palms in non-sustainably managed areas are routinely abused beyond description).
4. So, as a bottom line, the best course of action to help reduce global warming, decrease deforestation (and in fact contribute toward reforestation), reduce wildlife habitat loss and improve the lives of the people involved in growing palms is to use Sustainable Palm Oil, NOT to boycott palm oil.
5. To be clearer, boycott NON-Sustainable Palm Oil, yes, but switch to and SUPPORT the globally increasing spread of ecologically managed and sustainable Palm Oil. It is better for the planet, for wildlife and for people.
6. There is available Sustainable Palm Oil, Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil, and Sustainable Palm Glycerin, for all of our soap-making needs. Be compassionate and caring, but go beyond that: Be intelligent and educated in your compassion. 30 seconds on Google will provide sources. (my personal source for Organic, RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is
www.soaperschoice.com Call and ask for Mike Lawson. He is their resident expert)
7. To learn more, I suggest all fellow soapmakers visit:
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www.rspo.org
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www.rainforest-allaince.org
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www.rainforest-alliance.org/publications/palm-oil-faq
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www.betterpalmoil.org
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www.sustainablepalmoil.org
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www.greepalm.org
