There’s a lot of controversies when mentioning palm oil and for a good reason. Palm oil per se doesn’t lead to any problems, but its plantations do. It’s important to learn about the negative impact it has and the ways to help fix it.
Environmental impact
A big part of Indonesia’s and Malaysia’s rainforests (over 25%) have been deforested because of palm oil. It affects about 193 species of local wildlife, damages the soil, and releases massive amounts of CO2 as they are cleared.
Due to these issues, people have started avoiding using products with palm oil as an ingredient, however, this is not the solution.
The solution
Boycotting the industry is not the answer. These plantations are the most important export commodity for Indonesia and Malaysia. It creates a lot of jobs, as about 4 million people directly depend on it.
There have been a lot of efforts to come up with a solution. One of the most promising options is sustainable palm oil, creating strict regulations and showing how environmental impacts are minimized, and how the communities are compensated.
Sustainable palm oil
So far, retailers are not required to use certification when being sustainable, making it harder to know which products not to purchase. The best way to avoid them is to stick to brands you know use sustainable ingredients, like Sepai.
It’s almost impossible to avoid palm oil altogether these days. Be selective and research on your favorite brands or look for certification on products. Together we can make the world a more sustainable place. Read all about how Sepai stays sustainable.
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