Recipe for Abuse: Palm Oil, Child Labor, and Girl Scout Cookies - Ep. 89

“Sustainable Palm Oil” is deceiving and does not ensure ethical ingredients. Palm oil is everywhere – in our foods, cosmetics, cleaning products, and fuels. It’s a source of huge profits for multinational corporations, while at the same time destroying the rich biodiversity of tropical rainforests and the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and small landholders. Displacement of indigenous Peoples, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity are all consequences of our palm oil consumption. Thus, the palm oil inherent in a purchase of a $5 box of Girl Scout Cookies is connected to child labor, deforestation and displacement, climate disruption, and human rights atrocities. But there are solutions. Our show’s guests are working to demand accountability from business and campaigning for solutions that support the climate, human rights, and indigenous self-determination. Olivia Chaffin [https://girlsagainstpalmoil.wixsite.com/my-site] is a 14 year old Girl Scout, vegan, and activist. She became concerned about palm oil in 2016 when she learned about the issues surrounding its production. SIGN HER PETITION TO THE GIRL SCOUTS: https://www.change.org/p/girl-scouts-of-the-usa-remove-palm-oil-from-girl-scout-cookies Daniel Carrillo is the Forest Campaign Director for Rainforest Action Network [http://ran.org]. Daniel has worked over a decade in organized labor. He also has worked on international corporate campaigns in Latin America and Southeast Asia to defend worker rights and the environment. RAN Keep Forests Standing Campaign: https://www.ran.org/campaign/keep-forests-standing/ More Info: AP: https://apnews.com/article/palm-oil-forests-indonesia-scouts-83b01f2789e9489569960da63b2741c4 RAN: https://www.ran.org/the-understory/destroying-lives-and-stealing-land/ More on Palm Oil: https://www.wilderutopia.com/international/earth/palm-oil-and-orangutans-the-oily-truth-what-we-can-do/ Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: https://socal350.org/contribute-to-socal-350-climate-action/ Hosted by Jessica Aldridge Engineer: Blake Lampkin Executive Producer: Jack Eidt Assoc. Producer: Emilia Barrosse Show Created by Mark and JP Morris Music: Javier Kadry Episode 89