Palm Oil Sucks

Indonesia, according to the Rainforest Action Network's vid, is the world's third-largest producer of climate change gases like carbon dioxide. And, we're paying them to do that every time we go shopping. Let that sink in. WTF!!??

Here's how: giant agribusiness, like ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), Bunge and Cargill are slashing and burning many thousands of acres of rainforest to create palm plantations. Monocultures which instantaneously destroy ecological balance, habitat and species. Malaysia's letting this happen, too - from what I see in the LA Times, there's some nucking fut running a millitary government there lining his pockets with rainforest dollars.

Then, under our daily radar, we're sold products containing the palm derivatives produced from those plantations. Palm products are used in everything from Whole Foods' "organic" peanut butter, to Clairol shampoo, to donuts, to Ivory soap and microwave popcorn. Rainforest Action Network's site has examples, but the easiest thing to remember is to read the label, and if it has "palm" anything in it, put it back and select something else. Problem solved.

In his syndicated feature in the Los Angeles Time's op-ed section from 5-19, author and activist Glenn Hurowitz discusses how agribusiness and other consumer conglomerates are gleefully selling us our own destruction in the forms of palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm fruit oil and palmitic acid. Generally, the offending ingredients contain a "palm" prefix. We're paying them to create global climate change, destroy species, and start a cascade of environmental problems which we can't yet see an end to.

And, for any of us who like to be careful what we eat, consider also the high levels of saturated fats in palm oil. I'd sooner drink a room-temperature Crisco cocktail. See Wikipedia's entry about palm oil, under the subsection, "Chemistry and Processing" for a primer.

And, you know, I'll still shop at Whole Foods, but like any corporation, they need pressure to keep 'em honest. At least they're making effective efforts, and in the process what we buy there is forcing old-line chains like Von's, Ralph's and Albertson's to come to the party. You already know healthy competition's a good thing, right? Right??