(Bunches upon bunches of ripe palm-oil fruit. (September 17, 2018). Pixabay. Retrieved from: https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/how-palm-oil-became-the-high-fructose-corn-syrup-of-the-developing-world/)
“If you are what you eat, and you don’t know what you’re eating, WHO ARE YOU???”
-Eco teacher proverb
As a passionate environmentalist and supporter of sustainable food systems, I have been through many phases of ethical eating in my life. Occasionally I have attached well-known labels to myself – somewhat righteously at times – ‘vegan’, ‘vegetarian’, but at this time in my life, looking at the full picture of sustainability (social, economical, environmental), I prefer the term ‘respectful eater’ when people ask what my food choices are. In this, I have adopted many practices: back yard gardening, canning food, buying local, checking labels, eating low on the food chain. I have read countless books on how to be a better eater on this planet and have been passionate about the writings of Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food) and Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Small Wonder) on these issues.
(Retrieved from : http://www.kingsolver.com/books/)
I try to take many things into account on how I choose to eat:
Where is it from? How was it raised? How far did it travel? Am I being offered it as a guest in another culture? How was it prepared and by whom? What kind of life did it have? What kind of death did it have? What global/local food systems am I supporting?
I consider myself a life-long learner and as with anything I do in this life-as a person, parent, teacher, I am always striving to do it better the next time. I decided in this deeper food learning challenge to look at a new perspective and explore an angle I haven’t before. I am grateful for the challenge.
My focus is on a controversial food product that hits close to home - my new home on the road, that is. As our travels have taken us deep into Costa Rica (the original plan was to go to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia as well but has been diverted) and soon to Ecuador, I decided to try to eliminate Palm Oil from my food and other purchased products. This is where the story begins in my personal food challenge. However, the more I learn about Palm Oil and its impact on the planet and people, the more I realize that my avoidance of a spoonful of Nutella or an Oreo cookie is a drop in the bucket. It’s a start, but it’s only just the beginning. Witness the unfolding of my deep food learning project with Palm Oil at the epicenter of my learning.
(Tree of Plenty, D'Alessandro, G., Treat, J. and Williams, R. December 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/12/palm-oil-products-borneo-africa-environment-impact/)
What is Palm Oil?
The African Palm produces a rich oil from its palm oil kernels (oil dates). (Eco Preservation Society, 2008). The Palm oil produced from the African Palm is considered to be the world’s most versatile vegetable oil. (The Guardian, 2019.) Palm oil can be heated without burning, is a preferred oil to use in baked goods, cosmetics, soaps and shampoos for its healthy fat combination, natural sheen and frothing abilities. It is inexpensive to produce, a natural preservative, slows the melt in an ice cream cone and doubles as biofuel and an adhesive. Basically, Palm Oil is your one stop shop for human production and consumption. Sounds like the perfect food product, right? Here’s where things get slippery…
(Truck Carrying Palm Oil Fruit -Molon, A., Retrieved from : www.molon.de)
Why Eliminate Palm Oil?
The spark for this project actually came from driving the Pacific coast line of Costa Rica. Much of the highway is lined with Palm tree plantations and often in our travels we found ourselves stuck behind slow moving trucks filled with Palm fruit on the move. The Orangutan and smoldering rain forests have always been a symbol for me from my home in Canada for the devastation created by Palm Oil production. I was unaware that Palm Oil was also grown in Costa Rica and Ecuador until commencing this trip through Central and South America. Before I had even decided to explore this as my Deep Learning about food, I started to do some research. The social and environmental impacts of this industry can be devastating.
From seed to oil, the production of Palm Oil has numerous environmental hazards. To plant seedlings, land must be cleared. This destroys tropical rainforests and the biodiversity of an area (Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 2020). Burning is a common clearing method, which creates poor air quality and carbon emissions. To ensure the crop is not harmed by pests, pesticides are used on the trees. When processing the fruit, a chemical process is also used. Each of these products cause river contamination, water pollution and fish extermination (Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 2020). The release of chemicals and the burning of land (especially tropical forests that act as a carbon sink) as well as global export are known contributors to Climate Change. Studies show that land used to grow Palm Oil previously is rendered infertile as the root structure of Palm’s disallows for anything else to grow (Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 2020). Palm Oil’s use of agrichemicals, soil degradation and biodiversity loss impact not only the local environment but also the human population, causing cancers and other illnesses, and changing local culture (Stanford University, 2013).
Palm Oil is a social justice issue as well as an environmental one. Throughout Central America, Indigenous communities have lost land rights to major Palm Oil companies and been displaced by its production, Guatemala being the country hardest hit with entire communities being poisoned and displaced. (Council on Hemispheric Affairs, 2020). In Costa Rica, migrant workers are hired from Nicaragua for low pay to complete demanding and toxic work in extremely hot conditions. As they clear the forest floor to rid the trees of bugs and apply toxic chemicals to the tree trunks, they risk being bitten by the Fer-de-Lance, one of Costa Rica’s most poisonous snakes, known to hide in the ground leaves of the Palm trees. (Lonely Planet, 2019).
(Retrieved from: https://greenglobaltravel.com/fires-in-indonesia-palm-oil-killing-orangutans/)
Palm Oil in Costa Rica
In the 1940’s, the Panama banana plight devastated the banana crops of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica (Eco Preservation Society, 2008). In response to the crisis, The United Fruit Company (Chiquita) used crop lands to plant African Palm trees in an attempt to maintain export and recover costs lost in the demise of the banana crops. The transition was successful and as the country recovered from the banana plight, Palm Oil had taken hold as a new major export (Eco Preservation Society, 2008).
By 2014, Costa Rica was considered to be the 10th largest producer of the worlds global supply of Palm oil (USDA, 2014). Palm Oil production is preferred by many farmers in Costa Rica as there is a year-round yield, it requires less labour than other farming, and it maintains a high export price in the global market (Stanford University, 2013).
There are some palm companies around the world that are moving to more sustainable palm production. Palma Tica, the main palm company in Costa Rica however has been sighted as not making any efforts toward sustainable palm production and participating in child and migrant labour issues (Lonely Planet, 2019).
(Groves, J. February 2020)
Starting Small (Ingredients tour of my backpack)
As I said above, I am a respectful eater. Food issues are a passion of mine and I am continually learning more to ensure I am making the best choices for myself, the planet and the product. However, eating while traveling can be a challenge. We are on the move a lot, shopping in any store or market is a serious contrast from home, and we need comfort for our children as we expose them to culture shock after culture shock. All that to say that my ‘pantry’ looks a little different while on the road. While we buy fresh fruit and vegetables from local stands, we also have substantially more packaged products with us. We need things to eat that can be pulled out on that eight-hour bus ride quite easily. I decided to see what foods I’ve been eating that contain Palm Oil and eliminate them from my current diet.
At first glance for ‘aceite de palma’ in the ingredients list of our current food, here are the guilty products I’ve been packing:
Oreo cookies
Nutella
Crackers
Microwave popcorn
And *gasp* Peanut Butter! That’s right, by far the most important food in the batch. Peanut butter is hard to come by here and very expensive. But an apple and a scoop of peanut butter can make any of our palates and stomachs satisfied for a good hour. The list isn’t that long on the first day I do a survey and I know that other than a few tears over not getting some peanut butter on my toast, I will survive.
Here’s the trick though-Palm Oil products go by dozens of different names. Orangutan Alliance documents over 200 names (in English) for Palm Oil (Orangutan Alliance, 2020). It is also said to be in over 50% of grocery store products (Huffington Post, 2017).
Here are a few alternate names that I immediately recognized as ones that I have purchased in food and beauty products:
Cetyl Alcohol, Cocoa, Gylcerin, Oleic Acid, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Tocopherols (Vitamin E), Vegetable Emulsifier, Vegetable Oil.
(for the full list, please visit their consumer website):
As a consumer, especially a consumer who is now purchasing in another language, I almost immediately lost confidence that I have been successful in eliminating all Palm Oil from my diet and use. I definitely minimized it, but am certain that some Palm oil slipped through the cracks of my hard-working brain.
In the sage words of Paul Tullis, writer for The Guardian “Determining which products contain palm oil, let alone how sustainably it has been sourced, requires an almost supernatural level of consumer consciousness.” (Guardian, 2019). How can the average person who needs to source food while working, raising children, maintaining a household, extracurricular activities and hobbies, be expected to put a ‘supernatural level’ of time and energy into avoiding just one ingredient in products? I daresay it is just not possible.
(Groves, J. February 2020).
Thinking Bigger (Ingredients tour at the Supermercado)
I’ve always loved the lesson of a Supermarket tour-thinking critically and looking at where are day to day products come from. When I worked for Canada World Youth, it was one of our first lessons with our diverse youth to introduce global issues. It’s a social and environmental justice lesson that can be eye opening for youth in terms of the global impacts of our food system. It seemed fitting to take myself on a Supermarket tour with my new lens.
When I walked through the grocery store, I felt like all I could see was Palm Oil. Aisles filled with beauty products (Palm Oil), snack, snacks, snacks (Palm Oil), baked goods (Palm Oil). My new lens was overwhelming my critical eye. Unless I become a raw foodist (hey, there’s a thought), it is inevitable that I will ingest Palm Oil in my day-to-day life.
(Retrieved from: https://greenglobaltravel.com/how-to-avoid-products-with-palm-oil/)
Straight to the Top (Taking the Learning and Actions Deeper and Making an Impact)
Interestingly, as I began to study the impacts of Palm Oil in Costa Rica and globally, I found an article written by Andrew Telling for the Huffington Post. His curiosity around Palm Oil production in Costa Rica was piqued through doing the same drive I did (San Jose to Quepos) when he travelled here. His summative statements in his article mirror my own thoughts and emotions around the ‘what’s next’ approach to tackling a challenging situation.
“…So, palm oil itself is good but making it is bad. Therefore, shouldn't we just boycott it? Well, no. As consumers, our relationship with palm oil throws up a bit of a paradox. It's a situation where the most effective change isn't set about by a blanket boycott, but by continually squaring up to those manufacturers who abuse its production, while fervently supporting those who DON'T…
…The single most effective strategy, therefore, is to reach out to manufacturers and tell them that they're indirectly responsible for creating a product that's contributing to the decimation of ecosystems and let them know that you'll be making a choice to support their competitors who invest in sustainability. Those outwardly focussed businesses who detail exactly where their palm oil comes from…”(Huffington Post, 2017).
So where to begin? I decided that while it is a wonderful self-challenge to avoid Palm Oil where I can, and look for companies that are trying to produce Palm Oil more sustainably. Many food production giants are starting to make the move toward more sustainable Palm Oil production as pressure from organizations such as Greenpeace has been mounting. A number of companies known for being involved in deforestation and a suspect production line are claiming to move toward more sustainable practices including Nestle, L’oreal, Kellogg’s and Starbucks (Triplepundit, 2014). Maybe I can eat that Oreo cookie guilt free after all? It seems it is not an easy answer.
Currently however reports on which companies are the biggest offenders are conflicting. Some companies that are claiming to use sustainable practices and not trade with farmers using deforestation, are still in fact doing so (Daily Mail, 2018). Some environmentalists feel that sustainable palm oil is just not possible with the nature of the Palm Oil product itself and that the introduction of ‘sustainable Palm Oil’ has actually been a lie to cover the tracks of companies continuing to invest in dirty Palm Oil production (Greenpeace, 2019). Yet to get to become a truly sustainable product, companies are going to need to ‘build the plane themselves’ in order to get there (National Geographic, 2018).
This leads me back to my original idea around being a respectful eater with my food choices. I can only do my very best to be informed and make decisions that stick to my personal ethics. It feels to me that the ‘best choice’ I can currently make is to avoid Palm Oil where I can and feel good about that decision.
(Retrieved from: https://greenglobaltravel.com/how-to-avoid-products-with-palm-oil/)
What consumers can do
I’ve compiled a list of helpful hints for those who would like to respond to the Palm Oil production crisis. In no particular order, here are some effective ways you can curb Palm Oil use, make more sustainable choices, and have your voice heard-all without having to have supernatural powers.
1. Check the label. Yes, you might miss a Palm Oil ingredient but you might not. If you are committed to avoiding it, it is a good first step.
2. Check the company. Many companies are known to use dirty Palm Oil in production. Please look at the graphic above to see which ones you are supporting.
3. Read up on the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) website or better yet, download the app. The organization is designed to help consumers make better choices around Palm Oil purchases.
4. Be brave and boycott. But let the company know why! If they made simple changes to Palm production, would be able to eat Pringles again while you watch Baroness Von Sketch?
5. Write a letter. If my Granddad taught me nothing else, it was the power of the pen.
6. Know the dark side to find the light. I find I need to see the photos of the devastation, as painful as it is, to feel fully informed and have that ‘heart’ moment that pushes me to act. If you want to see the dark, check out these websites and videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdpspllWI2o(created in Iceland and later banned for being too dark)
7. Finally, here are some other excellent websites to get you going on your journey. May the force be with you!
Sources
Beggs, E. & Moore, E. (June, 2013). The Social Landscape of African Palm Production in the Osa and Golfito Region, Costa Rica. Retrieved from: http://inogo.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/African%20palm%20social%20landscape%20INOGO%20June%202013.pdf
Eco Preservation Society. (January 29, 2008). A Brief History of African Palm Production in Costa Rica. Retrieved from: https://ecopreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/a-brief-hisory-of-african-palm-production-in-costa-rica/
Green Global Travel (2019). How to Avoid Products with Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://greenglobaltravel.com/how-to-avoid-products-with-palm-oil/
Greenpeace. (November 1, 2019). 5 Problems with Sustainable Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/5-problems-with-sustainable-palm-oil/
Hambrick, K. (April 15, 2015). Baby Steps to Sustainability: Tip #9-Check Your Foods for Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://footprintmag.wordpress.com/2015/04/11/tip-9-check-your-foods-for-palm-oil/
Harvey, F. (January 17, 2020). Biggest Food Brands ‘Failing Goals to Banish Palm Oil Deforestation’. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/17/biggest-food-brands-failing-goals-to-banish-palm-oil-deforestation
Iozzi, D. (October 24, 2016). Producing Sustainable Palm Oil in Latin America. Retrieved from: http://www.coha.org/producing-sustainable-palm-oil-in-latin-america/
Lonely Planet. (2017). Retrieved from: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica/playa-palo-seco-around/background/other-features/be7b9ba5-e171-4f16-afc6-ff381aa4adb9/a/nar/be7b9ba5-e171-4f16-afc6-ff381aa4adb9/1313944
Mazzoni, M. (June 14, 2014). 10 Companies Committed to Sustainable Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2014/3p-weekend-10-companies-committed-sustainable-palm-oil/43111
Orangutan Alliance. (2020). Alternative Names for Palm Oil. https://orangutanalliance.org/alternative-names-for-palm-oil
Palm Oil Investigations (POI), (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.palmoilinvestigations.org/
Rainforest Action Network. (2015). Snack Food 20 Policy Implementation Evaluation: A Framework to Assess the Implementation of No Deforestation, No Peatland and No Exploitation Commitments. Retrieved from: https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NDPE-and-Leuser-Implementation-Assessment-Backgrounder.pdf
Rainforest Action Network. (2020). Conflict Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://www.ran.org/issue/palm_oil/
Ronsner, H. (December 2018). Palm Oil is Unavoidable, but can it be Sustainable? Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/12/palm-oil-products-borneo-africa-environment-impact/
Tullis, P. (February 19, 2019). How the World Got Hooked on Palm Oil. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/19/palm-oil-ingredient-biscuits-shampoo-environmental
Telling, A. (February 21, 2017). What the Hell Do I Know About Palm Oil Anyway? Retrieved from: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-telling/what-the-hell-do-i-know-a_1_b_14875102.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACSJyXgATNQ7Hw9ge6wzY6opk1LNdtswy3q92b3jyRUyCryg8024lzMx290tlyUXrrB9roPJIIfXivf5kXllQlSzSCR6Fxu0jAb9EerldxOzPGUwPTqgtJGcsGJA4Hs2W-cYBicHJINeoJ9JcbO_vVGwN8VYtSwlN_KipFjb-i8n
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