It is almost impossible to buy solely eco-friendly, humane products these days. Just when you think you’ve found a few, there’s usually a dark secret behind the companies in their business practices or ingredients. Until we live in a world where everyone respects the planet we all share, here are some products you’ll definitely want to avoid, and why, on the market the today.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is arguably just as destructive as single-use plastic and found in thousands of products worldwide. According to WWF, “Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, and it is in about half of all packaged products sold in the supermarket.”
Palm oil is so destructive because companies buy fertile land, usually in tropical forests, level it or slash & burn it, and then plant oil palms to produce the palm oil derived from the fruits. Not only is it decimating the local flora and fauna in the area, it’s directly responsible for the near extinction of multiple animals, like the Orangutan and Elephant who are burned or killed when the land is being prepped for planting. The worst part is that after 30 or so years, the trees have exhausted their lifespan and companies simply move to the next area to start the cycle over again.
Common products containing palm oil: Lipstick, Pizza Dough, Ice Cream, Detergent, Cookies, Biodiesel, Instant Noodles, Shampoo, Margarine, Chocolate, Soap, Packaged Bread
*Source: World Wildlife Fund
Other names for palm oil or contains palm oil: Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Fat, Palm Kernel, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Fruit Oil, Palmate, Palmitate, Palmolein, Glyceryl, Stearate, Stearic Acid, Elaeis Guineensis, Palmitic Acid, Palm Stearine, Palmitoyl Oxostearamide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Kernelate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Lauryl Lactylate/Sulphate, Hyrated Palm Glycerides, Etyl Palmitate, Octyl Palmitate, Palmityl Alcohol
*Source - World Wildlife Fund
How to avoid it: look for items that say “made with sustainable palm oil” or “palm oil free.” The best way to ensure you aren’t consuming is to avoid packaged products all together but if you can’t, these symbols are a great start. We are big fans of organizations and companies already actively participating in Certified Sustainable Palm Oil like the ones featured in this video.
Read more about Palm Oil and the effects on our environment at https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil.
Shark Products
What should be a no-brainer is actually a far more complicated issue when it comes to the use of shark in products. Only recently, we discovered just how many items included shark or shark bi-products in cosmetics and packaged frozen fish. Shark has been found in items such as garden fertilizer, lip balm, hair dyes, sunscreens, and even vaccines. (we are not anti-vaxers) It’s more common in alternative medicines as Eastern Medicine has a tendency to exploit animals wherever possible. Over 100 Million sharks are killed every year. 100 MILLION. No animal can sustain that level of slaughter.
Common products containing shark: whitefish fillers/fish patties/fish fingers, rock salmon, flake, imitation crab sticks, Supplements containing chondroitin or squalene/squalane (shark cartilage & shark liver oil), pet food/supplements/treats, garden fertilizer, jewelry (teeth), souvenirs such as shark jaws or teeth, anti-aging cream, skin lotion, deodorant, hair dye & conditioner, makeup such as eye shadow/lipstick/foundation, lip balm, sunscreen, face cleanser, wallets/purses/shoes/handbags, even furniture made from Shagreen (Shark & Stingray Leather), Vaccines (Pandemic flu, malaria vaccines), Medicinal creams (healing of wounds, skin irritations, hemerrhoids), Supplements & alternative medicines containing gill rakers, Alternative medicines (for arthritis, asthma, eczema, shingles, rheumatism, hemorrhoids, fevers, psoriasis and cancer), Energy & health drinks (look for chondroitin), Shagreen (sandpaper), Industrial lubricants and cleansers
*Source - Rob Stewart, Sharkwater Extinction
Other names for shark: flake, huss, catfish, dogfish, grayfish, steakfish, whitefish, lemon fish, cape steak, rock salmon, smoked rock salmon, smoked dogfish, rigg, gummy, sea ham, sokomoro, tofu shark, ocean filet, squalene, squalane, shark cartilage, chondroitin.
*Source - Rob Stewart, Sharkwater Extinction
How to avoid it: Unfortunately, shark is used to supplement many cheaper packaged fish products so if you can, only look for items that say they’re made from 100% of the fish you intend to buy. Stores like Whole Foods show a sustainability rating so always aim for the highest rating you can afford and buy fresh fish whenever possible. As you travel, learn to read labels extra carefully, especially around Asia, as shark is most often found in products in this region. And of course, never participate in fishing trips that involve or promote the catching of sharks.
Non-Organic Produce
While eating organic isn’t fool-proof, it has been proven to be significantly better for yourself and the environment. Organic produce has to meet a series of criteria to be labeled as organic, including the ommittance of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge as fertilizer, most synthetic pesticides for pest control, elimination of disease or pests, genetic engineering, or growth hormones for livestock.
How to make organic affordable: Embrace the coupon! Most grocery stores now have apps that allow you to add coupons directly to your account and will even learn your purchasing habits to suggest new coupons to you later. If you can’t afford some of the produce on your list that week, adjust your weekly menu. Find stores that are locally-driven, like Sprouts, to also help shave a few dollars off your organic grocery bill. Aldi is an excellent option as well.
Non-organic options: If you just can’t swing organic for all of your food items (it adds up!), focus first on organic items that you’ll consume the exterior of the most. Apples, Plums, Tomatoes, Grapes, etc. are all items where you could potentially ingest the direct pesticide from the plant as it permeates the exterior. Items like watermelon, bananas, melons, and Avocados all have a thick skin you don’t consume so they’re less likely to have residue from pesticides or fertilizers. For non-organic items, try to buy things only in season to avoid the environmental impacts of shipping from far-away locations. If you’ve ever wondered why food tastes so good in Italy, it’s because they grow and consume what’s in season, not what they feel like cooking.
Microbeads
What on earth on are microbeads? They’re tiny bits of plastic usually found in exfoliating items such as body wash or facial products. On the up side, in 2015 President Obama signed The Microbead-Free Waters Act, making these illegal in the United States as of 2018. (Currently, the US, Canada, and UK are the only countries that have banned microbeads) They are still found in multiple products outside of the US so make note when you’re traveling to avoid at all costs. Since the beads are plastic, they wash down the drains of showers and sinks and end up in the ocean to then end up in the bellies of oceanic life and back to us when we ingest the fish.
Common products that contain microbeads: exfoliating body washes, facial wash, facial scrub, acne treatments, deep-cleansing facial wash, moisturizers
Other names for microbeads: polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactic acid (PLA), polystyrene or polyethylene terephthalate.
How to avoid it: Luckily, microbeads are banned here in the US so spend some time looking at labels as you travel abroad. Anything with scrub, exfoliating, polish, or moisturizer should be heavily inspected to ensure you’re doing your part to keep our oceans clean.
We love what the guys over at 5 Gyres have been doing to combat microbeads and you can read more about it at https://www.5gyres.org/microbeads
Single-Use Plastic
Want to make one of the greatest impacts to the environment without changing anything about what you eat or where you shop? Ditch single-use plastic items. States, and even countries, have all woken-up to the horrible toll plastic is on our oceans and have banned plastic bags all together. We used to survive perfectly well with paper bags, that were recyclable, and now the rise of reusable totes has given people a much more eco-friendly option when shopping. We keep our reusable bags in our trunks so they’re always available when we’re out running errands. Never walk into a store without a reusable bag. This includes department stores, home improvement stores, and especially grocery stores. Go one step further and invest in some reusable mesh produce bags so you’re avoiding the plastic bags when in the store as well. Over time, you’ll notice just how many items are wrapped in plastic and have no need to be. (Organic produce individually wrapped at Target is my nemesis - do better Target)
Common single-use plastics: shopping bags, produce bags, sandwich bags, cling wrap, straws.
How to avoid it: We’ve tested various reusable items and have listed our absolute favorites below. Start by replacing one single-use plastic item in your home at once to ease yourself into it. While slightly less convenient, let’s all make a pact that convenience takes a backseat to sustainability to keep our planet healthy for the next generation.
*Chasing Extinction received no products or compensation for recommending these items - we just love them and wanted to share the companies that have helped make us more sustainable as a family.
