Comments on: Whole Foods Comes Out With Palm Oil Statement!

By: robert hii

robert hii — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:51:12 +0000

Could you verify something for me please. Your pledge mentions using IMO certs for sustainable palm oil, yet within IMO’s files with regards to sustainable palm oil, there is only the mention of the plantation in Ghana for Dr Bronners.
Daabon also hints at having been a supplier for WFM products and there is no mention in your pledge of any presence of Colombian palm oil

By: bodong

bodong — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:01:01 +0000

Some Reflections
Now, it is easy for the EU, the Wall Street Journal and the author to take pot shots at Malaysia and Indonesia for attempting to lift themselves up economically by cultivating palm oil for biofuels. In fact, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council issued a rebuttal to some topics reviewed in this story. And although some of it is ridiculous, it does point out obviously hypocritical things like this —
Britain has little forest left, as most land has been converted to agriculture. Such a paucity of forest cover and the preponderance of agricultural land have resulted in reduced biodiversity and caused the loss of fauna and flora.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Britain has less than 12 per cent of its land under forest cover compared with 64 per cent for Malaysia. Agricultural land makes up 71 per cent of its total land area compared with less than 19 per cent in Malaysia, of which oil palm accounts for two-thirds.
In the 19th century, Europeans were despoiling southeast Asia for the rubber and timber trades. From the WSJ, peaking of Borneo —
In the 1800s, Dutch and British traders began carving up parts of the island to produce rubber and other commodities. Later, Malaysian and Indonesian timber barons devastated millions of hectares of forest logging tropical hardwoods. Today, only a little more than half of Borneo’s once-ubiquitous rain-forest cover remains, according to WWF, the global conservation organization.
As a citizen of the United States — the world’s largest natural resource consumer driving much of the planet’s freefall — and largest abuser of the global commons, which is the environment upon which we all ultimately depend, I must add this apologetic to my criticisms of land use practices in southeast Asia. After all, people are just trying to feed themselves, raise their families and prosper economically as far as that is possible. Quoting the WSJ concerning Indonesia, “the arrival of new palm-oil plantations has meant jobs and opportunities for many Dayak families [of Kalimantan], and some have even taken ownership stakes in the operations.” There are environmentalists in southeast Asia just as there are here among the NGOs in America — I have quoted some of them. At the same time, John Q. Suburban in the United States is just trying to feed himself, raise his family and prosper economically as far as that is possible.
So, in the short run, some will win, some will lose and everyone wants to live. Over the longer term, however, the underlying problem is too many people (wherever they live) consuming too much energy and other natural resources. Overshoot and unsustainable modes of living are not confined to southeast Asia, as any American should know.
Dave Cohen
Senior Contributor
The Oil Drum
davec @ linkvoyager.com

By: Della

Della — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:13:01 +0000

This news should be on the main pages of our newspapers and on the evening news in order to shame the other grocery stores into compliance with saving the rain forests and our planet.

By: Amanda Sutters

Amanda Sutters — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:01:52 +0000

Thank you Whole Foods for setting an example and standing up for human rights and raiforests!

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:15:08 +0000

Now why don’t they do something about their use of industrial soy products in so many products. Just as much rain forest is destroyed in South America to grow soybeans as palm oil.

By: Autumn

Autumn — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:58:52 +0000

Thank you for your continued commitment to socially responsible leadership.

By: yvonne

yvonne — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:50:52 +0000

Thank you Whole Foods. I was worried I would have to find a new place to shop! Thank you for doing the “right” thing……

By: Janelle Tuero

Janelle Tuero — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:23:42 +0000

Also to my previous comment the cost of palmoil is taking the lives of at least 50-55 Orangutans a week, along with the Sumartran tiger lndonesian elephant and countless other wildlife. Also these peat swamps absorb tons of carbon per week and by the draining and burning is releasing it all back into the atmosphere thus rapidly contributting to Global Warming at an alarming rate. Govts must take action and pull lndonesia

By: Ruth Vandersall

Ruth Vandersall — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:13:15 +0000

Read labels to be aware of products containing palm oil. Avoid those that do not use sustainably grown palm oil.

By: Janelle Tuero

Janelle Tuero — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:12:45 +0000

FANTASTIC! the Australian Orangutan Project that l belong to have lobbied both this current Govt. and previous one to have labelling in our rupermarkets only to have it knocked back as it isnt important. Maybe the winds of change will soon hit here before its to late. l am so happy for you all.