Palm oil
Deforestation, eco conservation, eco balance, global warming; all words and phrases that are no common place in our daily language. There are many reasons . Simply put, the commercialisation of certain agricultural products such as Palm Oil have resulted in deforestation of beautiful natural forest. This has impacted a huge variety of animal and plant life. Large scale palm oil plantations are often run by big wealthy business, attractive to poor developing nations eager for revenue. You can read more about this from the WWF here…8 Things to know about Palm Oil
Plantations have devastated large swathes of virgin forest in countries such as Indonesia. Palm oil is used in a huge number of products but that does not excuse the terrible habitat destruction. Primates such as the Orangutan are being pushed to extinction. This can not be an acceptable fallout for our demand for cheap products.
Coconut palm
Coconut products coming from the coconut palm is far more eco-friendly; many coconut palms are grown on farms, primarily by smallholders. In many cases the coconut palms are beneficially mixed with crops like banana, cacao, and coffee, and farmers often integrate them with the surrounding. The coconut palm is a beneficial plant in binding poor soil as it roots system is dense. Why Coconut Palms are the best
Small holdings
In The Philippines and Indonesia alone, there are 7 million small holding coconut farmers, a far cry from the highly industrialised farming of palm oil which produces oil used in so many products worldwide at huge cost to the environment.
Coconut products
Coconut is used in a wide variety of products too, whether for culinary purposes or a large range of cosmetic creams. In the past the shell was a waste product, often burned but Love Coco were one of the first to start marketing the upcycled shells in Europe by recycling the empty shells. Love Coco products are a great alternative to plastic and ceramic bowls, so ideal for those interested in sustainable natural living.
Coconut shells and bowls
Love Coco are dedicated to becoming a driving force for change. As in the rest of the world, these coconut farms are managed almost entirely by smallholders. These communities do not receive the government grants as given to palm oil (money talks!). For this reason, it is difficult for these small farmers to maintain the eco balance they presently work with. Developing a new source of income to these farmers, by buying the shells they traditionally burnt (polluting the atmosphere) has two massive benefits. Love Coco pays a good market price and we convert the shells into Love Coco Bowls. It’s great to see these farming communities flourish and we support their traditional eco values they care about to protect their present families and future families. By supporting them, we are ensuring the high quality of ethically sourced coconut shells we then buy for the artisans, who craft the shells into our Love Coco bowls. You can buy our natural bowls here Love Coco Shop
WHERE POSSIBLE ALWAYS LOOK FOR FAIRTRADE OPTIONS AND MAKE SURE YOU BUY PRODUCTS WITH ETHICALLY SOURCED PALM OIL