
Raising cattle for beef is the number one cause of the destruction of rainforests and global warming, but today we’re going to talk about palm oil. Grown in tropical regions, palm plantations are displacing rainforests, destroying orangutan habitats and wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. With good intentions, some vegans have called for a boycott of Earth Balance, a vegan butter that uses palm oil as its primary fat, even though it doesn’t source its palm from native orangutan habitats. Is it possible to source palm oil sustainably? For that matter, is it possible to source any historically unsustainable crop in a sustainable way? In today’s episode, I weigh in on this issue and offer some food for thought.
HOW TO LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
- Click PLAY on the player above.
- Listen and subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Soundcloud, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
- Subscribe to the RSS feed.
Food for Thought Podcast is listener-supported. Please join other supporters by going to Patreon.com/ColleenPatrickGoudreau and becoming a patron.
Related Posts

Vegan for Health vs. Vegan for Ethics: Is There a Difference and Does it Matter?

Clean Meat: Slaughter-Free and Sustainable

American Vegan In London

About Colleen
Hello, and welcome. I’m Colleen, aka The Joyful Vegan, and I’m here to give you the tools and resources you need to eat, cook, travel, and live compassionately and healthfully.
Donating = Loving
For over twenty years, my work and podcast have remained free (and ad-free) and vibrant thanks to support from listeners, followers, and readers. I have no staff, no interns, and no assistant. What you see (and hear and watch) is a one-woman labor of love that is also my life and my livelihood. If this labor has impacted your life in the past year (or the past decades), please consider aiding its sustenance by becoming a patron or by making a one-time donation. Your support makes all the difference.
Favorite Things
Joyful Vegan Messageware
Wear your compassion on your sleeve (or chest or head!) by choosing any number of my message products.