Green Newton

The following is a reprint of a post published on the World Wildlife Federation website. You can access it HERE. 

How are your favorite brands doing in the quest for sustainable palm oil?

Palm oil is in everything from margarine to lipstick, but producing it irresponsibly can devastate forests, communities, and the climate. It’s also threatening endangered species in Indonesia and Malaysia, including elephants, tigers, rhinos, and orangutans.

We’ve scored 137 companies on their use of certified sustainable palm oil, which is grown in ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions, preserve forests and fresh water, and protect wildlife. See which brands are taking action and which are falling short.

You can also check out our interactive version, which includes tools that you can use to urge these companies to support the production of sustainable palm oil.

Is palm oil good or bad?
Palm oil is the world’s most popular vegetable oil, used in about half of the products on supermarket shelves. In tropical environments, it grows easily and is more efficient than soy, canola, and other plants.

The bad news: Its popularity has spurred the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of palm oil plantations across the forests of Indonesia and Malaysia and, increasingly, the jungles of Africa and Latin America.

The good news: The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certifies more than 20 percent of the global palm oil supply. Certification means the oil is produced in ways that conserve natural resources and protect the forests and rivers that wildlife call home.

How you can help:
Look for the RSPO label to ensure you purchase products made with certified sustainable palm oil. This label gives you the confidence that the palm oil was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

Can’t find the RSPO label? Look for the Green Palm label! This label indicates products in support of the transition to certified palm oil. Proceeds from Green Palm certificates help growers fund the transition to sustainable palm oil.

Most packaged products are labeled with their companies’ contact information. Call or write the company and urge them to use certified sustainable palm oil.