Comments on: Greenwash of the Week: Malaysian Palm Oil Council http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/ The Understory is the official blog of Rainforest Action Network. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:08:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dr. Glen Barry http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158704 Dr. Glen Barry Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:28:19 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158704 Good point. I would counter that no standards can ensure primary and old-growth forests logged or cleared for oil palm are ecologically sustainability. By definition, a primary rainforest has not been managed. Any activity, according to any standard other than leaving them alone, changes this. In other words, you can't industrially log ancient rainforests (or plant oil palm) and still have ancient rainforests. Good point. I would counter that no standards can ensure primary and old-growth forests logged or cleared for oil palm are ecologically sustainability. By definition, a primary rainforest has not been managed. Any activity, according to any standard other than leaving them alone, changes this. In other words, you can’t industrially log ancient rainforests (or plant oil palm) and still have ancient rainforests.

]]> By: Luke http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158403 Luke Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:10:46 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158403 One of the reasons the British Advertising Standards Authority rejected the ads in question was because no standard, contested or otherwise, existed by which to judge the sustainability of palm oil production. So claims of sustainable timber production differ from those of sustainable palm oil production in that sustainable timber production, at least potentially, refers to production according to some environmental standard. In fact, if we environmentalists want palm oil producers to change their behavior (and we do), it might not be a bad idea to help put together such a standard and get them to abide by it. Then we would have a point of leverage to influence the industry and an alternative to yelling into the void. One of the reasons the British Advertising Standards Authority rejected the ads in question was because no standard, contested or otherwise, existed by which to judge the sustainability of palm oil production. So claims of sustainable timber production differ from those of sustainable palm oil production in that sustainable timber production, at least potentially, refers to production according to some environmental standard.

In fact, if we environmentalists want palm oil producers to change their behavior (and we do), it might not be a bad idea to help put together such a standard and get them to abide by it. Then we would have a point of leverage to influence the industry and an alternative to yelling into the void.

]]> By: Dr. Glen Barry http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158351 Dr. Glen Barry Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:33:18 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158351 I nominate RAN for the next Greenwash of the Week for their support of "certified" logging of ancient primary and old-growth rainforests. Tell me, just how does claims of sustainable oil palm based upon ancient forest destruction differ from claims of sustainable timber? Oh, that's right, you are all under strict orders not to respond to me substantively on this matter. This in on topic. I nominate RAN for the next Greenwash of the Week for their support of “certified” logging of ancient primary and old-growth rainforests. Tell me, just how does claims of sustainable oil palm based upon ancient forest destruction differ from claims of sustainable timber? Oh, that’s right, you are all under strict orders not to respond to me substantively on this matter. This in on topic.

]]> By: The Understory » Greenwash of the Week: Take II http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158258 The Understory » Greenwash of the Week: Take II Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:53:39 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158258 [...] Greenwash of the Week: Malaysian Palm Oil Council [...] [...] Greenwash of the Week: Malaysian Palm Oil Council [...]

]]> By: Brant http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158237 Brant Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:27:05 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158237 I especially like the flyover of the pristine rainforest with the slow fade to the palm oil mono crop. Slick!! I especially like the flyover of the pristine rainforest with the slow fade to the palm oil mono crop. Slick!!

]]> By: Luke http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/comment-page-1/#comment-158235 Luke Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:10:29 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2008/01/10/greenwash-of-the-week-malaysian-palm-oil-council/#comment-158235 These actually look like they were made by the same people as the infamous "they call it pollution; we call it life" ads about CO2. At least they display the same level of totally brazen deception. Good Lord. These actually look like they were made by the same people as the infamous “they call it pollution; we call it life” ads about CO2. At least they display the same level of totally brazen deception. Good Lord.

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