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Sustainable Dish Episode 166: Jocelyn Zuckerman, author of Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything – and Endangered the World
Take a look at the list of ingredients on the back of almost any ultra-processed packaged food and you are likely to find palm oil or its derivatives as an ingredient. Its presence is just as ubiquitous in cosmetics and personal care products.
The consequences of the excessive use of palm oil are far-reaching and impact more than just our health. In this episode, my co-host James Connolly is talking with Jocelyn Zuckerman, author of Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything – and Endangered the World.
Jocelyn and James dive deep into the history of the palm oil industry and how it came to be in everything, exploring the devastation of natural habitats, corporate corruption, and how many of these practices continue today.
Join them in this enlightening conversation as they discuss:
Jocelyn’s connection to Nina Teicholz and her inspiration for the book
The effect of land grabs in Africa in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis
How Liberia was founded and the palm oil industry there
The brief summary of Unilever’s violent past from Sunlight Soap to enslaving native populations
How the palm oil trade replaced the slave trade after it was outlawed in 1807
How growing palm oil trees started as a way to alleviate poverty
The processing oil palm and stats on palm oil usage
Major brands that use a lot of palm oil
The perspective of poachers
The connection between what’s happening in the palm oil industry with other commodity industries
Tragic stories of modern-day slavery in the agriculture industry
The current practice of using prisoners as farmworkers and the effect it has on prison sentences
While topics like this can seem overwhelming and discouraging, I encourage my listeners to see the links below for ways you can find out more and take action.
Resources:
Books & Articles:
The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat, and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz
Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in Gourmet Magazine here, here, & here
Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in On Earth Magazine here, here, & here
Lord Leverhulme’s Ghosts: Colonial Exploitation in the Congo by Jules Marchal
The World for Sale by Javier Blas & Jack Farchy
Merchants of Grain by Dan Morgan
The Secret Life of Groceries: The Darkside of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGee...
View all episodes
By Diana RodgersTake a look at the list of ingredients on the back of almost any ultra-processed packaged food and you are likely to find palm oil or its derivatives as an ingredient. Its presence is just as ubiquitous in cosmetics and personal care products.
The consequences of the excessive use of palm oil are far-reaching and impact more than just our health. In this episode, my co-host James Connolly is talking with Jocelyn Zuckerman, author of Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything – and Endangered the World.
Jocelyn and James dive deep into the history of the palm oil industry and how it came to be in everything, exploring the devastation of natural habitats, corporate corruption, and how many of these practices continue today.
Join them in this enlightening conversation as they discuss:
Jocelyn’s connection to Nina Teicholz and her inspiration for the book
The effect of land grabs in Africa in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis
How Liberia was founded and the palm oil industry there
The brief summary of Unilever’s violent past from Sunlight Soap to enslaving native populations
How the palm oil trade replaced the slave trade after it was outlawed in 1807
How growing palm oil trees started as a way to alleviate poverty
The processing oil palm and stats on palm oil usage
Major brands that use a lot of palm oil
The perspective of poachers
The connection between what’s happening in the palm oil industry with other commodity industries
Tragic stories of modern-day slavery in the agriculture industry
The current practice of using prisoners as farmworkers and the effect it has on prison sentences
While topics like this can seem overwhelming and discouraging, I encourage my listeners to see the links below for ways you can find out more and take action.
Resources:
Books & Articles:
The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat, and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz
Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in Gourmet Magazine here, here, & here
Selections of Jocelyn’s articles in On Earth Magazine here, here, & here
Lord Leverhulme’s Ghosts: Colonial Exploitation in the Congo by Jules Marchal
The World for Sale by Javier Blas & Jack Farchy
Merchants of Grain by Dan Morgan
The Secret Life of Groceries: The Darkside of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGee...