Chiq Boutique

Palm Oil Again?!!!

May 14th, 2008. Published under green concerns. 5 Comments.

And I thought buying Dove soaps and shampoos was my only contribution to the Rainforest destruction in Southeast Asia.  I said to myself, “OK, just stay clear of Dove and Unilever so you can have a clean environmental conscience.”  I really felt bad about that Unilever thing. I never cook without Knorr cubes and Knorr is their product.  I just switched from Johnson’s Baby Wash to Suave 3-in-1 for Kids. I found out how good it was for my baby girl whose hair always gets tangled up after a bath. Her tangles are so bad that she growls when she feels somebody touching her hair.  Brushing her hair is an ordeal.  Now I have to look around for another product for my baby’s hair. Yes, Suave is Unilever too.

Just a while ago, I was surfing the National Geographic website and I found something that upset me again.  I didn’t know that palm oil’s presence in my way of life is so pervasive. I already gave up three things, now I have to give up my cookies!  (For the majority of people in the Philippines who are suffering from rice shortage, this must really be a laughable kind of angst! I think so too. What else is a housewife with limited exposure to the world supposed to rant and rave about?! )  

My son is going to be very disappointed when I tell him that we have to stop buying Oreos because they use palm oil, but he would definitely understand if I explain to him that people in Indonesia are cutting down forests to make way for the palm oil being used in his cookies. He’ll be outraged when he hears that Sumatran Rhinos, which are endangered, might be soon become extinct because of these events.  Rhinos are his favorite animal.  Whenever we go to the library he only borrows books about rhinos. I have learned so many things about them because he makes me read those books to him before we sleep at night. Just this Sunday I bought a box of pecan cookies from Keebler.  And Pepperidge Farm is another culprit! I can’t believe it.  That’s my trusted brand!  Their cookies are superior to anything else on the supermarket shelves. I buy them when I feel generous with myself.  Why do you have to take them away from me!!!!  I hate you palm oil!  

I think we have to write some more letters. If you want to feel empowered, click this link:http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/int/palmoil