Be better informed

21 Jun - View from my home

We have all experienced first hand the smog last week that at its worse hit PSI 401 on Friday, 21 Jun. Yes, most of us were in a panic, myself included as I rushed out in search of masks for the older family members.

22 Jun - PSI 323

In my previous post, I highlighted the plight of Sumatran Orangutan and wildlife affected by the fires, and the need for us to be responsible consumers. Palm oil is the most popular vegetable oil used today but not many of us pause to think of the environmental cost until it starts directly impacting our lives. Palm oil can be found in many food products, cosmetics and increasingly for use in biodiesel. Most of use may or may not realize that demand for palm oil has led to tropical rainforests and peatlands in South East Asia are being cleared to provide land for oil palm plantations.

Here are some sites that I found as I start to learn about the most popular vegetable oil:-

WWF - Palm oil

Greenpeace - Palm oil

Rainforest Action Network - Palm Oil

The Orangutan Project - Palm Oil and how it threatens Orangutans

Unmask Palm Oil - a New Zealand campaign for mandatory palm oil labeling on all products that contain it.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) - sustainable palm oil

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

a New Zealand campaign with the sole goal of  mandatory palm oil labelling on all products that contain it. - See more at: http://www.unmaskpalmoil.co.nz/about#sthash.KsymtIdH.dpuf

However, since we can't possibly boycott palm oil because it's everywhere. We can choose products made with sustainable palm oil. Right now, only 14% of global palm oil produced is RSPO certified. Let's as consumers be more informed and aware, and only consume products made from sustainable palm oil.