LIVING MINDFULLY
We make an impact on the world around us through our choices each day. Living mindfully means that we take the time to reflect on our strongest values, our deepest beliefs, the consequences of our actions and act accordingly. It means that we are informed about who and what benefits or suffers with our purchases and decisions. Now is the perfect time to say NO to corporations whose practices are cruel and inhumane in the name of profit.
There is a lot to cover, but will begin with the palm oil industry. Palm Oil is found in roughly half of items in our grocery stores: chips, cookies, cleaning agents, shampoos, toothpaste and more. Not only are many of these junk products harmful to our health, the practices to create them are causing unthinkable suffering: habitat degradation, climate change, animal cruelty, indigenous rights abuses and child slavery in the countries where it is produced.
Just some of The Facts:
• Palm oil is found in 40-50% of household products sold in countries such as United States, Canada, Australia & England. These include baked goods, chips & snack foods, shampoo, cosmetics, cleaning agents, washing detergents and toothpaste.
• Over 90% of orangutan habitat has been destroyed in the last 20 years. This is considered a conservation emergency. Over 50,000 orangutans have already died as a result of deforestation due to palm oil in the last two decades.
• Deforestation for palm oil production contributes significantly to climate change. The removal of the native forests often involves the burning of timber and critical forest undergrowth. This emits immense quantities of smoke into the atmosphere to the detriment of local people, while making Indonesia the third highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world!
• Amnesty International recently exposed child slavery in these plantations linked to companies like Nestle, Unilever, Kellogs and others in Palm Oil plantations. More HERE
THIS BRIEF VIDEO FROM THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND SHOWS & EXPLAINS MORE:
MORE RESOURCES:
• This APP will help you shop mindfully & contact the offending companies.
• Rainforest Rescue does some great work and has petitions to sign.
• SAY NO TO PALM OIL is another great resource and will keep you up to date about companies to boycott as well as those to support.
• Photographer Paul Hilton has been covering this. Some images are very disturbing, but it is important we not bury our heads in the sand. We need to act and support the people and companies that are getting it right.
I’m making a commitment to shopping and living as sustainably and as mindfully as possible. Keep me posted on the shifts you’re making and if I can offer any guidance, I will. Let’s keep each other informed, engaged and aware.
With Love, Vanessa
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