Soap Making Ingredient Contributes to Rainforest Destruction

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(Free-Press-Release.com) August 17, 2010 -- Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom – Many homemade soap makers use palm oil in their soap mixtures. In doing so, they may be contributing to the demise of the world's biggest air purifier.(http://www.supersoapmakingsecrets.com)

A March 2010 report issued by Greenpeace showed that the Indonesian palm oil company, Sinas Mar, illegally owns 1.3 million hectares of the Indonesian rainforest as part their land bank. Sinas Mar is the largest producer of palm oil in the world, and their practices of using rainforests for palm oil production has threatened animal life and plant life in those areas of the world, as well as increased the production and emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Palm Oil farming in rainforests is a non-sustainable method of producing palm oil.

American companies, such as Unilever, Nestle, and General Mills, which use Sinas Mar palm oil for various products, as well as the European Commission have been asked to stop buying their palm oil from Sinas Mar. They are advised to take steps and opt for sustainable palm oil sources instead of those which are detrimental to natural habitats. It is the request of environmentalists that Sinas Mar and its subsidiary companies, such as PT SMART should not be patronized until the company makes good on its promise of using only sustainable palm oil. The projected time for this change is sometime in 2015.

Palm oil is popularly used in soap making and soap manufacturing because it gives soap the characteristics many consumers have become used to and look for in a soap. Big soap corporations need to make sure they are not acquiring their palm oil from non-sustainable sources, and consumers need to be aware of where their soap brands are getting the palm oil for their soaps. Similarly, homemade soap makers or organic soap making businesses are asked to check the sources of their palm oil and make sure these come from companies which practice sustainable palm oil farming. Another option for homemade soap makers is to choose soap making recipes which do not need palm oil.

“There are plenty of soap recipes that don't need palm oil.” says author Sandy Simmons (The Super Soap Making Book.) “If not using palm oil in our homemade soaps will help the environment, I don't think it's too big a sacrifice. Large companies like Unilever have already broken ties with Sinas Mar. Homemade soap makers should do their part too.”

Rainforests are often considered to be the world's largest natural air purifiers. The combination (in quantity) of trees and plants that grow in rainforests absorb the most carbon dioxide, a notorious greenhouse gas, compared to any other eco-system in the world. In short, the earth needs the rainforests if it's ever going to survive climate change. Sadly, this life saving eco-system is being threatened at every corner. From logging, burning, and now the farming and harvesting of palm oil, rainforests are standing little chance.

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