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Hollywood stars owe us the truth.
There has been a fusing in recent years of fiction and non-fiction. Much of the content coming out of Hollywood these days is fictional at first glance, but with an underlying message which pertains to be true and is designed to be taken seriously. But when that message is based on falsehoods, people can be misled.
That is the situation with a new movie about an orangutan.
Ozi: Voice of the Forest is a cartoon story that tells the story of a young orangutan who fights against evil forces in order to save a rainforest. The story was produced by Appian Way, a company bearing the name of Leonardo DiCaprio.
If you were to believe the message underlying the film’s basic narrative, private firms who are not held accountable for their actions destroy rainforests for the purpose of making palm oil. On the other hand, the reality is quite different, as is so frequently the case.
The use of palm oil can be found in a wide variety of home products, including foods and personal care items. Its low production costs, which are in turn due to the fact that it is the most land-efficient product in its category, are the primary reasons for its widespread market adoption.
In the event that palm oil were to disappear tomorrow, businesses would be forced to move to alternative ingredients such as rapeseed oil or soybean oil. These oils require up to 10 times more land clearance than palm oil, which would result in a significant increase in the amount of deforestation.
The movie, in its attack on palm oil, fails to take into account the wider picture and runs the risk of misinforming viewers. It gives them the erroneous notion that palm oil is a commodity that is particularly damaging and that it would be beneficial to stop using it. Even the Orangutan Land Trust, which is known all around the world, and Chester Zoo have expressed their worry on this matter.
“The vast majority of conservation organisations and experts do not agree with a blanket boycott of palm oil, and we are concerned that children and families watching this film will be left with the impression that this is the right action to take,” they said. “We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle forest loss and help orangutans like Ozi is to support sustainable palm oil, instead of boycotting it altogether.”
Since reaching its highest point in 2014, palm oil deforestation has decreased by 70 percent, as reported by Global Forest Watch. This is a direct result of advances within the business. Today, more than ninety percent of the palm oil that is imported into Europe is certified as being environmentally friendly.
Even the World Wide Fund for Nature has backed sustainable palm oil as a solution to the problem of deforestation because it is beneficial to the environment. Despite the fact that you might not have guessed it from seeing Ozi: Voice of the Forest, it is a success story in terms of sustainability.
