palm oil

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    Researchers Develop PALM-ALT as a More Sustainable Alternative to Palm Oil

    Researchers Develop PALM-ALT as a More Sustainable Alternative to Palm Oil

    About half of all packaged goods found in grocery stores contain palm oil, because this product is versatile, grows efficiently for better yields and has low production costs. However, palm oil comes at a high cost to the environment, and its production is a leading cause of deforestation around the world.  As a potential alternative, […]

    Palm Oil 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Palm Oil 101: Everything You Need to Know

    What Is Palm Oil?  If you use cosmetics, take showers or even just eat processed foods, chances are you put quite a bit of palm oil onto or into your body. Made from the fruit of an oil palm plant, palm oil is the most commonly used vegetable oil on the planet, and manufacturers have […]

    More Than Half of Palm Species Threatened With Extinction, Study Finds

    More Than Half of Palm Species Threatened With Extinction, Study Finds

    It’s hard to imagine a world without palm trees. Members of the recognizable Arecaceae family drop coconuts onto white-sand beaches, pierce their fronds through the greenery of rainforests and line glamorous boulevards from Los Angeles to Miami.  But a new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution Monday warns that we might have to. A […]

    20% of Oil Palms Grown for Palm Oil in Indonesia Are Illegal, Report Finds

    20% of Oil Palms Grown for Palm Oil in Indonesia Are Illegal, Report Finds

    Growing palm oil is notoriously bad for the environment, as creating the oil palm plantations requires extensive deforestation. This process destroys the habitats of orangutans, Sumatran rhinos, tigers and many other creatures. Now, a report shows that about one-fifth of the oil palm plantations in Indonesia are actually grown in forest estates, including protected forests […]

    Video Reveals Water Contamination, ‘Brazen Disregard’ for Amazon by ‘Sustainable’ Palm Oil Industry

    Video Reveals Water Contamination, ‘Brazen Disregard’ for Amazon by ‘Sustainable’ Palm Oil Industry

    During 18 months, Mongabay investigated allegations challenging the “sustainable” status of the Brazilian palm oil supply chain, revealing impacts including deforestation and water contamination, and what appears to be an industry-wide pattern of brazen disregard for Amazon conservation and for the rights of Indigenous people and traditional communities in northern Pará state. In this behind-the-scenes […]