Palm oil has seen some controversy in the past year or so on TreeHugger. It’s even been called an “eco-nightmare” because of deforestation that’s occurred leaving orangutans and birds without their natural habitat. But today we may see some new light on the issue as The Body Shop announced its new sustainable palm oil initiative. “The company becomes the first cosmetics and toiletries retailer to introduce sustainable palm oil into the beauty industry,” the press release stated. By working with Daabon, a certified organic palm oil producer in Colombia that also works with local co-ops, and the Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, The Body Shop’s initiative equates to 14.5 million bars of soap sold per annum in more than 2,200 stores across 57 countries across the world. The company hopes that this step will also encourage others to follow their lead in using sustainable palm oil in their products. Peter Saunders, Chief Executive Officer for The Body Shop stated, “This will not be achieved by The Body Shop in isolation – our decision must inspire other businesses to join us and tackle the problem head on.” ::The Body Shop

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Naples Buried Under a Heap of Trash

Lady Bird Johnson 1912-2007