Essex Life Sandra M Dean June 2010 Questionnaire

Essex Life magazine interviewed me in this months back page questionnaire (June 2010) which was great for me and it also helped me to bring awareness to my Orangutan Campaign once again in the media. 

Being a magazine that promotes Essex and all it has to offer, both their magazine and my website are supporting the same thing – Essex as the great County it is!

I have submitted many of my photos from around Essex in the past and had some published in last months magazine.

I subscribe to this magazine as it has some great articles and info on Essex – see their website here: http://essex.greatbritishlife.co.uk

Essex Life Sandra M Dean June 2010 Questionnaire

I was delighted to find that the Government are funding a two year project with the RSPO to review and improve the criteria of ‘sustainable palm oil’. This is very important, as we have found that the criteria currently in place by the RSPO is not sufficient. It has loopholes and does not properly address the issues of current ‘unsustainable plantations’ as these planations will perhaps be considered ‘sustainable’ in a few years time. The plantation owners/buyers will therefore get away with deforestation and climate change issues. The RSPO currently seems to be an organisation in which Manufacturers and Plantations owners can hide behind, and show that they are ‘doing something good’ but it’s regulations are not tight enough to properly manage unsustainable palm oil use and growth. Hopefully this is one of the issues the government will address.

I was also very happy with the considerable donations from the Government to GRASP (Great Apes Survival Partnership) plus their knowledge and collaboration with many known and trusted charities and aid organisations.

Please read the letter I received below (click to open and use your back button in your browser to come back to this page) and do not hesitate to have your say in my comments box below….

The reply from Clarins was dismal – it took nearly 4 months and a lot of pestering to get any reply at all, and when I did it was insufficient. I had already promised to use body shop products and use up the Clarins that I was using, and I am pleased to say that I have nearly used it all up now and definitely will not be buying anymore. Clarins are not members of the RSPO, which is not the be all and end all, but at least it is a token gesture, and they will not confirm if they use unsustainable or sustainable palm oil, so we have to assume that it is an unsustainable product being used in six of their products.

Still, unlike Clinique, I am pleased to say that they do not test on animals.

They said that…….. Since 1988 the only tests that Clarins conduct during the development and manufacture of our products are on human volunteers and tissue cultures which replicate the structure of the human skin and eye. Clarins has also not used ingredients of animal origin in its products since this date.

The ingredients we use are purchased from specialist suppliers who produce a safety file, conforming to European regulations, for each raw ingredient they sell. We will always request a copy of this documentation to ensure that an ingredient is safe to use for cosmetic purposes, but at no time do we demand or commission animal tests.

I had asked specific questions to which I expected, as standard, to receive a reply to my queries. Being sent to a website 4 months after my enquiry to find out for myself is a disgrace for customer service. I was just sent the links below……

About palm oil in their products

http://uk.clarins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HerbarumView?storeId=10201&catalogId=11751&langId=-11&index=P&ignoreClarinsAndMe=true&section=2&subSection=5

Their environmental policy

http://uk.clarins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentType_about@@clarins.committed@@beauty.protection@@environnement_-11_10201_11751_true___

Their commitments

http://uk.clarins.com/wcsstore/clarins2/documents/en_UK/Clarins-Responsible-Commitments.pdf

Original letter sent to Clarins……..

Hello,

Please pass to the relevant department.

I have been researching the unsustainable palm oil situation with regard to the UK’s involvement, it has brought about some alarming news with regard to the wildlife, indigenous peoples, our health, global warming due to the slash and burn of the rainforests, and our knowledge about the oil and what it is in. I am, as a consumer, very upset about this situation, and I have some questions for you, as to the use of palm oil in your products, as I wish to only buy products with RSPO certified oil in them ….

1. Do you make any products that contain palm oil? If so, which ones? And are there any without palm oil that I can use? (my favourites are skin and anti cellulite products)

2. Are you using sustainable or unsustainable oil in your products?

3. If unsustainable, do you need to use it?

4. If you use palm oil in your products, is it shown in the ingredients listing? If not, could you do that so that we, as consumers, can choose whether we consume palm oil or not when deciding to buy your product

5. Are you a member of the RSPO?

6. Are your products tested on animals?

I understand that a lot has been done over the last 5 years, to raise awareness, and moves have been made by the Consumer Industry and Government in the UK, but if action is not taken more quickly, then it will all be in vain as far as the population of Orangutans are concerned. I think that a target of 2015 (which is predicted for many Companies) for using only sustainable oil is too far away – it must be realised that the Orangutans have only 10 years left at the rate of the increase of palm oil deforestation and plantations and something needs to be done far faster than it has been in the last 5 years.

I would very much appreciate it if you could answer the above, so that I can fully understand the situation as it stands at the moment, as there are many mixed views in the media at present. I would prefer to get the facts right about your policies and palm oil use, if any, first hand.

Kind Regards,

Sandra Dean

palm oil kernel

My UK campaign to stop Cadbury using Palm oil – lets follow Australia/New Zealand!

Australian and New Zealand people power has overcome Cadbury, who have decided to stop using palm oil in many products, due to the petitioning and campaigning of the Australians. This is wonderful news, but just a start in making a hole in the World’s unsustainable palm oil use.

I have had much communication with the people of Australia and New Zealand about Cadbury as I have info on my website too about Cadbury, and it shows that people power CAN work.

I, as you will know from my website, am currently petitioning to the EU Government for palm oil to be labelled in our UK products and also petitioning to ask supermarkets/manufacturers to stop using unsustainable palm oil and it is going well, but I have always said that we should target one alone and get a good response and I have chosen Cadbury too, as they are in the limelight and their chocolate is so rubbish and cheap now that the consumer is looking for a better quality of chocolate (particularly the people who have bought Cadbury chocolate for years). We don’t want this saturated unsustainable palm oil fat in our chocolate either!.

So, I am now in the process of setting up a petition to Cadbury, joining support networks and I ask you for your support now, and in the future, to help me to make a success of this campaign. If we can make a Company like Cadbury stop using unsustainable palm oil, then this will be an example to all other Manufacturers currently also using unsustainable palm oil.

Keep coming back to these pages to see how I am getting on – and please support the cause – this is important!

See my pages on Cadbury by CLICKING HERE

Also, see my reply from Cadbury regarding their use of palm oil by CLICKING HERE

See the Cadbury Australia/New Zealand campaign information by CLICKING HERE

palm oil in Cadbury

Cadbury Australia/New Zealand take palm oil out of chocolate

How did they do it ? Read about how Australia and New Zealand did it below….

New Zealand information…..

The Cadbury’s NZ move was a collective effort with Auckland Zoo being a main player along with Judith Collins in Dunedin who is the producer for Orangutan Island on Animal Planet, instigated by Cadbury’s sudden decision to start putting palm oil in NZ chocolate (this very much annoyed non-environmentalist consumers too as it made it taste different).

Media exposure played a big part, and lowered sales so we expect that this also played a big part in their final decision.

A major catalyst however was the face book groups (separate from zoo activities). The biggest one started by Carly Day which got over 3,000 people.

And Australia….  Proof from Cadbury Australia that they are converting!

This is an email sent to a lady in Australia from Cadbury……….

Thank you for taking time to contact us in response to our recent

announcement in New Zealand regarding the removal of vegetable fat,

including palm oil, from Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate and our return to a

cocoa butter only recipe.

In answer to your question, we are pleased to confirm that Cadbury

Australia is also removing vegetable fat, including palm oil, and returning

to a cocoa butter only recipe for Cadbury’s entire moulded block chocolate

range, including our flagship Cadbury Dairy Milk brand and product lines

such as Old Gold and Dream.

Some of our other product lines where vegetable fat, including palm oil,

has been added to replace a small amount of cocoa are more complex and will

take longer to change. However it is our intention to progressively work

through them so that all of the cocoa within the chocolate we make in

Australia and New Zealand is palm oil free as soon as it can possibly can

be.

The decision to remove vegetable fat, including palm oil and return to a

cocoa butter only recipe was based on your feedback and that of hundreds of

other Australians and New Zealanders.

Once again thank you for your support. We hope the change back to a cocoa

butter only recipe will help restore your faith in Cadbury and our

products.

Kind regards

CADBURY PTY LTD

Tracey

Consumer Services

Ref:1167905

Notes from the Australian campaigner on this subject:

People/consumer power works again. Remember, it is the ONLY thing that ever works.

Governments and companies left to their own ways, would never make any good environmental decisions.

According to the below email response, Cadbury Australia is also removing vegetable fat (incl. palm oil) from their products.

Now, we ALL need to pressure New Zealand farmers into stopping their importation of palm kernel from Indonesia to feed dairy cattle in New Zealand.

It’s not as if NZ cows need palm kernel and it is hardly a natural foodstuff for cows – whose milk, incidentally, may find its way into Cadbury’s chocolate, Anchor butter, etc.

See my CAMPAIGN PLANS FOR THE UK HERE PLUS LINKS TO OTHER CADBURY PALM OIL RESOURCES

04 Aug 09 Sandra M Dean Womans own magazine orangutan campaign

Hello, I just wanted to let you know that my story is in Woman’s Own magazine (over 300,000 readers!) this week – a double page article!  It is a personal story and the story behind this website, so if you are near a newsagent, have a look!  I have also uploaded the article to this site too – just click on the three images to view them!  The magazine is out today on Tuesday 4th August for one week only (called the 10th August issue).  This is fantastic for my campaign and I hope that my story will inspire all you women out there that life can change against adversity!  Thanks, Sandra M Dean

Womans own orangutan campaign page 1

August 4th 09 Sandra M Dean Womans own orangutan campaign text

My Orangutan Campaign

The Orangutan is nearly 97% human (DNA) and they are such innocent and gentle primates – please help to save this species!

Firstly, don’t we all love the cute faces of the Orangutan’s we see at the Zoo’s and on TV in programmes such as Orangutan Diary? Well, behind all of that is a nightmare. The Orangutan will be extinct within 10 years if we do not do something. They originally lived across South East Asia, and now only survive on the Island of Borneo and also in Indonesian Sumatra, but their numbers are dwindling fast every single day, as they are being killed. There are many dangers for them, such as the pet trade and illegal use of them in shows in places like Thailand, but their main danger is ‘Palm oil’. Palm oil is something that, if we live and eat normally, we are probably consuming every single day.  See what here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/2009/05/top-100-products-uk-which-contain-palm-oil

Palm oil is bad for our health, most of it’s production (from unsustainable sources) is harming our environment and harming the Orangutan. I have added lots of information to this site about these issues, my research of our biggest Supermarket and Consumer product Manufacturer culprits, who buy and supply us with this harmful oil, and what is being done around the World to help the Orangutan.  There is a non-destructive supply of palm oil, called ‘sustainable palm oil’ and we need our suppliers to use it.

Last year (September 2008), I was lucky enough to see a Mother & baby Orangutan and a Male separately, in the Wild Rainforests of Sabah in Borneo. It was a wonderful experience to see them where they are supposed to be – swinging free! We also visited the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre and the Rasa Ria Rehabilitation centre, for Orphan Orangutan. It was great to see the work going into helping these gorgeous orphans, but one cannot forget that they are there because their Mother’s have been killed, and that is a sad fact. They need our help and desperately. 

Read about my campaign here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal

Read about what I am doing to help the Orangutans here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/what-i-am-doing

Read comments from some of my many Supporters for this campaign: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/my-supporters-for-orangutans

How to use this site – there’s lots of information for you!

The drop down lists at the top of the website contain all the main static information and the category posts on the left hand side are different – they contain all the up to date news, information and campaign updates, in date order.

There is also a search box so you can search a keyword too – maybe a manufacturer, a charity or anything else – there is probably more on this site than you think and I have most things covered!

About me

Read about me and what the site is all about here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/about-us

How to help?

Sign my Petitions to help the Orangutans – this is the easiest thing you can do, and if nothing else, would be a great help and support – it will take just a few minutes of your time and is FREE - see them here:  http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/sign-my-petitions

See my letters sent here (you are welcome to use them): http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/2009/05/letters-sent-on-14th-may-2009-regarding-palm-oil

And here are many of the replies: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/category/orangutan-appeal/palm-oil-campaign/palm-oil-lettersinfo-recieved

There is so much else you can do, including writing letters to your MP/MEP, Supermarkets and favourite foods/products, plus donations to the Charities – read more here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/save-the-orangutans

ALSO, maybe you are already doing a campaign or research, or maybe you find out about products that contain sustainable palm oil or no palm oil at all – I need help to compile a list of ‘good products’ to add to my list here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/2009/06/what-to-buy-without-palm-oil-cosmeticfoodhousehold  Please help me to add to this list….

There’s lots you can do – do not hesitate to contact me or comment at the bottom of any of the pages.

The Orangutan Charities can be seen here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/charities-and-organisations

Visit Orangutan in Borneo – see my details: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/visit-orangutan-borneo

And you can see them in the UK and around the World – see here for more info on Zoo’s etc: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/orangutans-rest-of-the-world

The Orangutan is nearly 97% human (DNA) and they are such innocent and gentle primates – please help to save this species!

Read about the Orangutan here: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/orang-utan-appeal/about-orangutans  and so much more from the Category listings on the left of this website…..

This is my stance on the subject: http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/2009/07/boycott-palm-oil-until-we-have-answers

Thanks to all of you who read my site – I hope you enjoy it!

Once again, I am disappointed that this ‘own brand’ supermarket did not list its products that contain palm oil. If I don’t know which they are then I cannot avoid them, so I will have to follow that up with them. It would be easy to do, as they only sell ‘own brand products’.

Secondly, they have not outlined a date properly, that they will be listing palm oil as a specific oil in the ingredients listings on products. And since blends of oils are labelled as the generic ‘vegetable oil’ this is not helpful at all. It is a shame, as I enjoy their products.

See it by clicking on the images:

marks and spencer palm oil reply page 1

marks and spencer palm oil reply page 2

However, their commitments to changing to sustainable palm oil are better than some Supermarkets, but, as with all of them, the target of 2015 for the changeover (which I note is only written as an ‘aim’ and not a promise) will, again, be too late for the saviour of the Orangutans – there certainly would not be many left at that time if the progression and use of unsustainable palm oil from Borneo and Sumatra continue at the current rate.

I think their work with the WWF is really good, and I am very pleased to see that they are rehabilitating an area for Orangutans the size of 50 football pitches. However, I think the thing we should not forget here is that, in Sumatra alone, the area of 6 football pitches PER MINUTE are being destroyed for palm plantations, so actually stopping the plantation and purchase of the palm oil in the first place will be much more helpful. Those statistics are for Sumatra alone, let alone the deforestation across Borneo, by the way!

As with virtually all Supermarkets and Manufacturers, I will, once again, have to be writing back to Marks and Spencer to gain the information I asked for!

You can help – why don’t you write some letters too? You can see mine by CLICKING HERE

To see my general comments on my palm oil campaign Supermarket/Manufacturer replies CLICK HERE

I have now, had nearly all the replies in from the Manufacturer’s and Supermarkets of the UK who are known to use palm oil in their products and are in the top 100 for sales. I have to say, the news is not very positive and most of them have omitted to answer the questions I posed, particularly in providing me with a list of their products containing palm oil and whether it is sustainable or unsustainable.  There is a supply of sustainable palm oil out there and it is not being used, so there is no excuse!

List of products containing palm oil

Until they provide me with a list, as a consumer, I will refuse to use ANY of their products, where possible and instead use products from Companies that do not use palm oil at all. At the end of the day, I do not want to be consuming this unhealthy saturated fat anyway and lessen my chance of a heart attack.

Listing Palm oil as ‘Vegetable oil’

The law regarding ingredients listings, is an EU law, and allows manufacturer’s to list palm oil within the general term ‘vegetable oil’. OK, there is not enough pressure on the European Union to change that right now (although I am campaigning to get it changed as us consumers should be allowed to choose what we consume, and avoid palm oil if we wish – see my letter here http://www.notjustanessexgirl.com/2009/05/my-letter-to-department-for-business-enterprise-regulatory-reform ) but they could volunteer to do it. Waitrose and the Co-op now list palm oil specifically in all their own brand products, and Sainsbury’s are following suit, so why cant Tesco’s, Asda, Morrisons and all the others? Answer is, they could if they wanted to, but they simply do not want to – too much cost involved! As a consumer, I do not want to be munching on palm oil (a saturated fat) and I feel cheated that I have been eating it for so long in my breads, chocolate, biscuits, Wrigley’s chewing gum and loads more – I feel sick that we are not allowed to have the choice to see what has palm oil in it, because the law says we do not have to be given that choice. For now, if something says ‘vegetable oil’ in it’s ingredients, I am avoiding it. Admittedly, this is very difficult as so much contains it, but with some effort, I realise that my desire for biscuits is indirectly killing orangutan’s, so with that in mind, it is much easier to avoid!

RSPO – is it just a cover?

The RSPO appears to be doing good work, but I do feel that some of the members are just hiding behind their membership and saying that they are ‘doing their bit’ when they are actually, as a Company, doing very little. This does not mean everyone, but some of them, so do not take their membership as being the be all and end all – it is not. Ask them what exactly ‘they are doing themselves’ Any timescales for a changeover to sustainable palm oil and efforts to help the environmental issues. Do not let them all just say they are a member and leave it at that.

It’s all about time

Time is actually running out for the Orangutan’s and many other animals, such as the Sumatran Tiger. If deforestation for the planting of unsustainable palm oil plantations is not stopped, then the Orangutan will be extinct within around 10 years!

You will see that many Manufacturer’s, Supermarkets, and the RSPO itself do not have strict time scales that they commit to, to make the required changes (change to sustainable palm oil). This is no good – we want some promises and action before the Orangutan is extinct! We need them to tell us WHEN they are going to do something.

So, I shall be writing back to most of the Supermarkets and Manufacturer’s who have now replied, and asking them for the more specific answers laid out above this time. I will keep you posted!

Greed

It is essentially all about greed……..

1. Our consumer greed for tasty and cheap products.  (do we really need to eat biscuits and long life bread anyway?)

2. The Manufacturer’s greed for selling in bulk, their budget products, using palm oil as a cheap bulking agent.

3. The Palm oil Companies greed for selling quickly grown, cheaply produced, lucrative oil to sell.

Although we are in a time of credit crunch, we can all make an effort to some degree – next time you go shopping, keep in mind all the products containing it, and try to avoid them.

See what else I have been doing to save the Orangutan here

Click here to see the letters I sent to the Government, Manufacturer’s and Supermarkets

Click here to see the top 100 products and which contain palm oil

Click here to see the replies from those Supermarkets and Manufacturers about their palm oil useage

Click here to see information about palm oil dangers – scroll through