General Mills controversy; your breakfast cereal may be linked to rainforest destruction

General Mills linked to rainforest destruction in Indonesia

The palm-oil industry in Indonesia has been under increasing scrutiny for destruction and degradation of rainforests and communities in Indonesia, according to a current press release from Rain Forest Action Network.

According to the report, the maker of Cheerios, Betty Crocker and Toaster Strudel is buying unsustainable Southeast Asia Palm Oil for use in the production of its popular products. Production of Palm Oil has been implicated in highly destructive agricultural practices, deforestation, increased extermination of species, loss of biological diversity and disruption of communities.

" . . . 42 activists with Rainforest Action Network, Walker Church and other concerned community organizations unfurled a 30 x 70 ft. banner reading "Warning: General Mills Destroys Rainforests" outside of the company's Minneapolis headquarters building," says the release.

The report goes on to state:

"The protest is the start of a corporate campaign against General Mills, asking the trusted food company to publicly commit to sourcing only palm oil produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. At least one hundred General Mills products, including such trusted brands as Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Stovetop Hamburger Helper and Toaster Strudel contain palm oil or palm oil derivatives, violating General Mills' stated social and environmental commitments."

While it's gratifying that there is such a statement of commitment from this large corporation, tangible follow-through would send a loud and clear message to other corporations.

"General Mills could do a lot to transform the palm oil supply in the food industry and to protect rainforests, communities and the climate," said Madeline Gardner, Minneapolis-based activist. "As an industry leader and a trusted brand, General Mills could have a huge impact in changing the food industry for good."

According to the release, production of palm oil, found in roughly half of all products sold in U.S. supermarkets, has risen significantly in recent years to meet growing worldwide demand. As a result, palm oil plantations are expanding rapidly into the tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, contributing heavily to global climate change, species extinction, and the displacement of Indigenous and local communities.

"Palm oil is a leading cause of rainforest destruction in places like Indonesia," said Ashley Schaeffer of Rainforest Action Network. "As long as General Mills is using irresponsibly sourced palm oil, their customers will have to worry that they are contributing money to rainforest destruction."

The report concludes that, worldwide, the degradation and destruction of tropical rainforests is responsible for fifteen percent of all annual greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon emissions resulting from Indonesia's rapid deforestation account for around eight percent of global emissions: more than the combined emissions from all the cars, planes, trucks, buses and trains in United States. This huge carbon footprint from forest destruction has made non-industrialized Indonesia the third-largest global greenhouse gas emitter, behind only the U.S. and China.

Policing and watch-dogging industries is everyone's concern, but knowing just what products to buy - finding out which are truly 'green' and which aren't -- can be a daunting task. For more information on the Palm Oil industry please check this link.

Many thanks to Margaret Swink of the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) for this timely news release.

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Rainforest Action Network campaigns to break North America’s oil and coal addictions, protect endangered forests and Indigenous rights, and stop destructive investments around the world through education, grassroots organizing, and nonviolent direct action. For more information, please visit: www.ran.org