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I don’t know what the solution is or whether the article’s alternative is viable. But please do try and avoid buying products palm oil. It’s absolutely devastat

I don’t know what the solution is or whether the article’s alternative is viable. But please do try and avoid buying products palm oil. It’s absolutely devastating and we will not get the land or the millions of species that we’re losing back. I once flew into a tiny airport in Borneo, from above it looked like a neat lush jungle, but as we descended the horror of millions upon millions of neatly lined up palm trees stretching for hundreds of miles became clear. The tiny scrap of jungle left was condensed around the river and all the large fauna had gathered there to escape. It’s tragic and the scale is unprecedented. I don’t know if not buying palm oil will stop them, but at least it sends a message that we need alternatives and raises awareness about one of the most visceral impacts we humans have on the earth.

perfunctory 6y ago
While you are busy boycotting palm oil, I would suggest you also stop flying if you are concerned about species extinction (unless your flight to Borneo was absolutely essential). Sorry if this sounds sarcastic. I don't mean it that way. Just couldn't help but notice the irony in your post.
- crispyporkbites 6y ago
  I'm glad you wrote this - flying at scale is terrible for the environment. However it doesn't mean eating palm oil is ok. Whataboutism is even worse for the environment, there is always something you can do better and life has many facets. The danger of your comment is that people use this to justify not doing anything while continuing to fly and act irresponsibly, and pretend that they have some kind of moral high ground. Even a small change like one individual not eating palm oil can be the first step towards a sustainable planet.
JeromeLon 6y ago
Encouraging the use of products that don't contain any oil is indeed good for the rainforest. But be careful, the way you phrased it could encourage people to use products that use another vegetable oil, which requires even more hectares to produce (palm oil yield is 5 times higher than the next highest oil yield), and could lead to even more deforestation.
- KozmoNau7 6y ago
  At least for Europe (and I assume the US), crops for canola/safflower/olive/corn/etc. oil are grown locally and not on deforested rainforest land.
Mediterraneo10 6y ago
> please do try and avoid buying products palm oil. If you want to make that lifestyle choice, then you do your thing, but be aware that this pretty much means never eating out, either. Loads of fast food establishment and restaurants today are using palm oil because it is such a cheap solution. You see those huge bulk containers of palm oil at the local hypermarket for a reason, those aren’t for household use.
- KozmoNau7 6y ago
  I think that's a sacrifice worth making; Avoid fast food in general and any other similar restaurants that think little enough of their customers to just use the cheapest possible ingredients. Choose quality over quantity, please.
  - Mediterraneo10 6y ago
    > Avoid fast food in general OK, but be aware that that means not just avoiding mega-corporate chain restaurants. It could mean having to give up supporting the local ethnic-food joint run by a humble immigrant family who are just trying to make a decent life and put their children through school, and who may be using quality ingredients in terms of veg, but who are still using palm oil because nowadays everyone is.
    - KozmoNau7 6y ago
      Honestly, I can't take responsibility for how other people choose to run their business and which corners they choose to cut. To be more blunt, it is not my responsibility to prop up a business model that I disapprove of. I prefer to eat at restaurants where I know they will not compromise on quality, so I accept that I have to pay extra for that, hence I eat out less often than I otherwise would have. On the flip side, every time I do eat out, I get amazing food. On the occasions where I do eat fast food, my preferred places also fit the quality criteria outlined above. If a place doesn't do things in a way that agrees with me, I refuse to support them.
      - 6y ago

perfunctory 6y ago

While you are busy boycotting palm oil, I would suggest you also stop flying if you are concerned about species extinction (unless your flight to Borneo was absolutely essential). Sorry if this sounds sarcastic. I don't mean it that way. Just couldn't help but notice the irony in your post.

crispyporkbites 6y ago
I'm glad you wrote this - flying at scale is terrible for the environment. However it doesn't mean eating palm oil is ok. Whataboutism is even worse for the environment, there is always something you can do better and life has many facets. The danger of your comment is that people use this to justify not doing anything while continuing to fly and act irresponsibly, and pretend that they have some kind of moral high ground. Even a small change like one individual not eating palm oil can be the first step towards a sustainable planet.

JeromeLon 6y ago

Encouraging the use of products that don't contain any oil is indeed good for the rainforest. But be careful, the way you phrased it could encourage people to use products that use another vegetable oil, which requires even more hectares to produce (palm oil yield is 5 times higher than the next highest oil yield), and could lead to even more deforestation.

KozmoNau7 6y ago
At least for Europe (and I assume the US), crops for canola/safflower/olive/corn/etc. oil are grown locally and not on deforested rainforest land.

Mediterraneo10 6y ago

> please do try and avoid buying products palm oil. If you want to make that lifestyle choice, then you do your thing, but be aware that this pretty much means never eating out, either. Loads of fast food establishment and restaurants today are using palm oil because it is such a cheap solution. You see those huge bulk containers of palm oil at the local hypermarket for a reason, those aren’t for household use.

KozmoNau7 6y ago
I think that's a sacrifice worth making; Avoid fast food in general and any other similar restaurants that think little enough of their customers to just use the cheapest possible ingredients. Choose quality over quantity, please.
- Mediterraneo10 6y ago
  > Avoid fast food in general OK, but be aware that that means not just avoiding mega-corporate chain restaurants. It could mean having to give up supporting the local ethnic-food joint run by a humble immigrant family who are just trying to make a decent life and put their children through school, and who may be using quality ingredients in terms of veg, but who are still using palm oil because nowadays everyone is.
  - KozmoNau7 6y ago
    Honestly, I can't take responsibility for how other people choose to run their business and which corners they choose to cut. To be more blunt, it is not my responsibility to prop up a business model that I disapprove of. I prefer to eat at restaurants where I know they will not compromise on quality, so I accept that I have to pay extra for that, hence I eat out less often than I otherwise would have. On the flip side, every time I do eat out, I get amazing food. On the occasions where I do eat fast food, my preferred places also fit the quality criteria outlined above. If a place doesn't do things in a way that agrees with me, I refuse to support them.
    - 6y ago