So powerful it even
cleans your conscience.
As the first palm oil free laundry product in major supermarkets, AWARE wipes out stains not rainforests. So why would you use anything else? For clean clothes and a spotless conscience, be aware, buy AWARE, and save the orangutans for our children's sake.
What's palm oil and why should I care?
Palm oil is a form of edible vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. It's used in many food products and to make soap and detergents. Alternatives include coconut oil, animal fats and petrochemicals.
Palm oil is commonly used in a range of household products including most laundry liquids, cleaning detergents and food products. Nearly all laundry detergents use ingredients derived from palm oil. These are generally referred to as 'surfactants' on the ingredient list.
The use of palm oil has been linked to the destruction of valuable rainforests in tropical areas including Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia and Malaysia. Rainforests are being cleared at the rate of 300 football fields per hour to make way for palm oil plantations. This habitat destruction leads to the widespread loss of species like the orangutan, sumatran tigers, rhino and clouded leopards.
Palm oil companies frequently use uncontrolled burning to clear the land, resulting in thousands of orangutans being burned to death. In 1997-98 a devastating fire in killed almost 8,000** orangutans in Borneo.
- Rainforest Destruction
Time is running out - an acre of rainforest is lost every second.
- Rainforest Destruction
Rainforest destruction is a major contributor to climate change.
- Rainforest Destruction
Deforestation is wiping out 50,000 wildlife species each year.
- Rainforest Destruction
Orangutans are predicted to be extinct in the wild in the next 20 years if the palm oil industry, deforestation and burning of peat forest does not change.
By purchasing palm oil free products you are
actively participating in saving the planet.
What does AWARE use instead?
AWARE uses coconut oil as an alternative as it doesn't represent the same threat to rainforest habitats. The majority of coconut plantations were established several decades ago to supply the food industry but as people moved away from saturated fats the market for it reduced significantly.
By using coconut oil derived ingredients it addresses the immediate and urgent issue of forest destruction.
For a list of palm oil free products visit http://www.orangutans.com.au
Why should I buy AWARE products?
Firstly, because it works! Secondly, AWARE laundry liquids and powders are one of the only laundry brands on major supermarket shelves guaranteed to be completely palm oil free. AWARE products are also Australian made and owned, 'Good Environmental Choice of Australia' (GECA) accredited and Planet Ark endorsed.
What else can I do to help?
Buy the product! By changing to this product you make a statement about supporting companies that truly make a difference. There's many things you can do to help save the environment and remove palm oil from consumer products. Several organizations are pushing to make palm oil labelling compulsory. For more details join our Facebook or Twitter account.
Choice magazine recently compiled a detailed report on palm oil including how consumers can make a difference. For more information on palm oil and Choice's advice click here.
Testimonials
Hello,
I am writing to congratulate you on the fact that your laundry products do not contain palm oil-derived ingredients and that you make the rationale explicit in your FAQ. There are consumers who actively avoid all products that contain palm oil (and derivatives), and I thought it important that one of them wrote to you to tell you of this fact (incidentally, I've also blogged about it, as part of my series on living a palm oil-free life: http://languagehammer.blogspot.com/2010/07/clean-and-palm-oil-free-living.html).
The sooner other companies start following your lead, the better it will be. I am personally tired of the spurious claims about environmental friendliness of their products that some companies make. As you clearly highlight, using natural ingredients does not make for an environmentally-friendly product.
Anyway, keep up the great work, and I hope that you continue this strategy and make all of your products free of palm oil.
Kind regards,
Anthony.
** www.palmoilaction.org.au and www.orangutans.com.au
