We may not see the full result for six more years, but Procter & Gamble made it official this week—the company will remove all deforestation from its palm oil supply.
The Cincinnati, OH-based company announced a no-deforestation policy for its products, which include Head & Shoulders and Oil of Olay. While the policy calls for no deforestation in the palm supply chain to plantations by 2020, the company plans to enact palm oil and palm kernel oil traceability to supplier mills by Dec. 31, 2015.
“P&G’s commitment to no deforestation in its palm supply chain is unequivocal," P&G Vice President of Global Sustainability Len Sauers said. "Our aim is to develop effective long-term solutions to the complicated issue of palm oil sustainability.
"We are committed to driving positive change throughout the entire supply chain, not just for us, but for the industry and for the small farmers who depend on this crop."
Palm oils are typically extracted through widespread deforestation that pushes orangutan, Sumatran tigers and other exotic animals to the brink of extinction.
The announcement comes a month after nine Greenpeace activists were arrested on burglary and vandalism charges for hanging a pair of 60-foot banners on P&G's skyscraper to call attention to the company's use of palm oil. While those activists still face charges, Greenpeace as an organization was pleased with the company's policy.
“Hundreds of thousands of people across the planet have called on P&G to get rid of palm oil that is leaving tigers and orangutans homeless,” said Areeba Hamid, a forest campaigner with Greenpeace International, according to a Greenpeace blog. “Their commitment today is another step towards responsible supply chains and ending deforestation in the world’s rainforests.”
The policy goes beyond existing criteria from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), according to the company. It requires suppliers to guarantee there will be no conversion of peatland, that residential rights will be valued and that high-carbon and high-conservation value areas will be protected.
Palm oil suppliers are required to submit plans by Dec. 31, 2015 to demonstrate how they will eliminate deforestation. P&G pledges to work with small farmers to improve practices for palm kernel oil.
Still, Greenpeace remained critical of the six-year window between now and the official deforestation ban date.
“The policy is not perfect," Hamid said. "It leaves suppliers six more years to clear forests. With global warming and rapid biodiversity loss, we urge P&G to take action against suppliers, such as Musim Mas and KLK that have been identified to be clearing forests and peatlands.”
“Also for P&G to guarantee that all its products are completely free from forest destruction, it would need to implement a similar no deforestation commitment across forest commodities, that it sources apart, such as wood pulp.”
P&G says it will present reports annually to track its progress.
“This is the most complicated aspect of the palm supply chain, where P&G believes we can make a significant and lasting impact," Sauers said.
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
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