Norway Cuts Palm Oil Consumption 64% in One Year

By Michael Graham Richard, TreeHugger

Kudos to Regnskogfondet! An Example for the Whole World

As we’ve written a lot about before, growing palm oil in the way that the biggest producers of it grow it right now – Indonesia and Malaysia – has huge social and environmental costs. That’s why I was so pleased to read that a campaign led by Rainforest Foundation Norway has led to a massive reduction in palm oil consumption in the Scandinavian country. It’s an initiative that should be imitated around the world!

How They Did It

The most amazing thing with this story is that it didn’t take that long to get results. That should be encouraging to environmentalists everywhere:

“Last autumn, Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN) launched a campaign with two aims; to reduce Norwegian palm oil consumption and to expose the link between deforestation and the production of this vegetable oil. The campaign, which was developed in collaboration with the organization Green Living, targeted all major food producers in Norway. [...]

Producers were asked to disclose details about their use of palm oil, and whether the palm oil was sourced from sustainable sources. Norwegian law obliges companies to provide such information, if it is considered relevant for environmental concerns. The results of the investigation were published in a “palm oil guide”, a unique web-based tool where consumers can check the occurrence of palm oil in Norwegian food products. Previously, this information was unavailable, and the use of palm oil concealed as “vegetable oil” or “vegetable fat”.

The campaign received extensive media coverage, resulting in increased consumer awareness. Norwegian food producers responded rapidly, significantly reducing their use of palm oil. Eight major producers have cut their consumption with some 9,600 tons – a reduction of nearly two thirds of the total consumption of 15,000 tons. In 2011 every Norwegian inadvertently consumed three kilos of palm oil through food products. From now on they will only consume one kilo per year.” (source)

That’s a 64% total reduction in palm oil use in Norway. In about a year!

This shows how educating the public and getting transparency from producers so that people can know what they buy can make a big difference.

(Via RFN, Mongabay)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Duane B.

11:47AM PST on Mar 1, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

March 1
send a green star

Natasha S.

9:37AM PST on Feb 24, 2013

Can you please foward this great news and info to the Chinese government. China is the #1 consumer of Palm Oil. great article,thanks.

February 24
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Kristel T.

2:36PM PST on Jan 16, 2013

thank you for the article! this is great news!! i have a petition against Monsanto, please support by signing!

Aside from the fact that 91% of the population oppose genetically modified foods and all that the corporation Monsanto represents, The EU Bank is still to give Monsanto $40,000,000 of E.U. funds. This is a criminal act against the people! This Financial support would be better used on organic farming! We need to support small farms that will replenish the soil and use seeds that are not genetically modified . The future of our planet depends upon it! Monsanto does not need financial aid, it is a profit-making enterprise! Monsanto spent $7,100,500 defeating California's Prop 37, ONLY TO BE GRANTED PUBLIC FUNDS OF 40MILLION DOLLARS? "Monsanto would fail if it wasn't for government-sanctioned secrecy and 'too big to fail' bailouts!!! Now is the time to be angry! please sign and share the petition.

petition link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/668/278/722/stop-monsanto-from-receiving-public-fund-from-the-eu-bank/

January 16
send a green star

Yulan L.

12:03AM PST on Jan 11, 2013

Good news it's a start.

January 11
send a green star

Lola M.

8:34PM PST on Jan 9, 2013

Please Join Rainforest Action Network and tell Dr Oz to STOP promoting Palm Oil.
http://ran.org/act/dr-oz/?t=v&r

List of 30 disguised ingredient names containing Palm oil.
www.saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php