Palm oil mostly originating from Asia has had its share of controversies connected with the whole eco-friendliness issue today. Apparently, people today look more towards the havoc that it has done rather than what it can do to help make the environment greener.

Palm oil has been blamed for deforestation and for driving species such as the orangutan to the verge of extinction. But if you look a little bit closer, you will find that certain products such as margarine, washing power, ice cream or even cosmetics that make use of it.

So between the two, which outweighs which? Perhaps the real deal here is identifying what palm oil can really provide and how we can control it and make it sustainable.

Palm oil is in a vast range of consumer products, from margarine to washing powder, and is probably in your favourite ice-cream, coffee creamer or even your lipstick. You might not be aware of this because many manufacturers simply call it “vegetable oil” on the label, often to try to avoid the stigma that has become attached to palm oil.

Campaigns by groups such as Friends of the Earth in the United Kingdom and Europe saw consumer boycotts of products containing palm oil forcing retail giants to put pressure on producers to prove that their product is sustainable and eco-friendly.

(Source) Mail and Guardian