I’m sure you’re all familiar with the devastating effects that harvesting palm oil has on the rainforests and the orangutans, so I won’t get in to that here, but I wanted to share why you actually shouldn’t boycott palm oil if you want to make a difference.

Using Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is a more effective and responsible choice! Here’s why:

 1. Oil palms are the most productive type of all the edible oil plants. Oil palms produce about 5-10 times more oil per acre than other crops like soy or canola. In this way, palm oil can be a more environmentally friendly oil because less land has to be cleared to get the same amount of product.

  2. Indonesia and Malaysia are countries that struggle with poverty and palm oil is a huge part of the economy.  Without it, millions more people would be unemployed.

  3. There will always be a demand for edible oil, and this demand is growing due to worldwide population growth.  Palm oil is in many of the things we eat and use every day. If we boycott palm oil, another crop will just take its place.

 4. Certified Sustainable Palm oil isn’t just any palm oil. It comes from a plantation that has made a commitment to produce palm oil in a way that minimizes its impact on wildlife, indigenous people, and the planet.

 5. It does not seem effective or realistic to boycott palm oil. It does not seem possible to memorize every name on this list in order to read labels and avoid purchasing products containing these ingredients/derivatives. We recommend supporting RSPO member companies and sustainable palm oil production instead.

Source: http://www.cmzoo.org/conservation/palmOilCrisis/

If you are concerned about the effects of non-sustainable palm oil (you should be!), here is a palm oil shopping guide.