Palm oil and the palm oil industry has received a lot of bad publicity and we have all seen the damage caused by deforestation, loss of habitat and none of us can look away from those cute pictures of the orangutans who are becoming near extinct. However, having done a lot of research into the subject, I have come to realise that it is not the Palm Tree or the Palm oil that is the issue here, as with most things it is us humans and our greed.
Many Countries that initially began the Palm oil industry in earnest like Malaysia and Indonesia saw the profits to be made from such an efficient oil, but sadly with most new industries people began to exploit and monetise it with no view of the future, simply to make profits and money. These countries didn’t just destroy their countries nature and wildlife they also without their knowledge made Palm oil a major enemy in the eyes of the world and especially those concerned about protecting and safeguarding our earth for future humanity.
This is what I want to address, and I aim to do this by giving answers to common questions I get asked…
Q. How efficient is the Palm Oil Tree?
A. when grown sustainably with minimum or no environmental impact the Palm Tree is the most efficient oil producing plant on earth. Acre for acre the Palm tree produces more oil than any other plant on earth!
Q. Aren’t Palm Oil trees toxic?
A. Like the rubber tree, the Palm tree is very destructive to the soil in which is it lives. Over time is makes the soil barren and toxic whereby nothing else can grow and eventually even these plants themselves become non producing. This is the main reason for the environmental destruction that the palm oil industry has caused, people with little or no understanding simply moved on the fresh land and cut down more forest when their palm trees had exhausted the area they were already in. They kept burning down forests and recursively continued this process but of course as we have now seen and as most early adopting countries of the palm oil industry have realised faster than anyone else, this method is not sustainable.
Q. How have other countries tried to be sustainable?
A. Countries like Malaysia, have made a commitment to be 100% sustainable in their palm oil production by the end of 2019 have found that this amazingly efficient plant can be cultivated and farmed sustainably. This still produces significant returns on investment when compared with other products and the environment does not have to suffer.
Q. Have there been any legislations introduced to ensure production sustainability?
A. Yes, a legislation that states no new land should be used or consumed for Palm Oil industry and that existing plantations remove the non-performing Palm trees and plant special grasses to reinvigorate the soil. After a period of time the soil is once again fertile enough to support the Palm trees. This is a more expensive process than deforestation, but even with the additional time and effort and funds Palm oil is still cheaper and more efficient to produce for the demand that exists worldwide.
Q. So where do you source your Palm Oil from?
A. We source our Palm oil from Malaysia and we continue to monitor that sustainability promises are fulfilled by the producers that we purchase from. This is how we can protect our environment and this is how we can save our planet. By ensuring that the most efficient options are used to provide the resources of the growing population and not simply by boycotting everything that gets a bad press.
Q. So what is your long term solution to using Palm Oil?
A. Our long-term solution involves finding a palm oil plantation in Sri Lanka, so that we can not only ensure that the Palm oil we use is produced sustainably, we can guarantee that through a local supplier we would have a lot more direct contact and control.
Q. Why have you chosen to utilise Palm Oil in your products?
A. We have chosen to use Palm Oil, because it’s an oil that grows in our local region, so it’s one of the oils that gives us the lowest carbon footprint and we are keen as an environmentally responsible and ethical business to keep as much of our supplies as local as possible. Our products are not just 100% natural and don’t harm the environment when they are consumed by our customers, we also want to ensure that making them is also as earth friendly as possible.
Q. What are the benefits to using Palm Oil in your products?
A. When we were formulating recipes for our luxury products we wanted them to truly care for peoples skin, truly be a positive addition to peoples personal care routines. Palm oil is incredibly good in natural soap. It is very hydrating to skin and can protect against daily wear and tear and damage. We use Palm oil because it is a great Asian alternative to European oils like olive oil or sweet almond oil.
Q. Isn’t Palm Oil expensive and how does this impact the price of your products?
A. Palm Oil is one of the, if not the most competitively priced oils in the world market and this is the main reason it is found in more than 80% of all food and personal care products that most people have in their cupboards. This means that we can make our all-natural products easily accessible and at affordable and competitive prices where one and all can afford to switch to a more eco-friendly and conscious living lifestyle.
Plastics and chemicals used by individuals on a daily basis is a reason that our planet will very soon be a desolate wasteland and we are all needed, and we each need to make better more earth friendly choices every day in everything in our lives if we are to protect this earth for future generations. So, the more people I can reach the bigger the impact my products can make in helping individuals make better choices and maybe just maybe we can give our kids more than just hope of a better future.
