The Educator Magazine U.K. Sept-Dec 2024 issue - Magazine - Page 38

9 ways to inspire
students about
sustainability in
the classroom
The Chester Zoo Conservation Education and Engagement Team
Sustainable palm oil:
Bringing responsible sourcing to life
Academic learning is so much more powerful
when it inspires us to understand and help
protect the world around us.
The time we spend in school shapes how we will interpret
our environment once we leave the classroom. It’s our first
opportunity to appreciate the issues and challenges that face
our planet, from climate change to sustainable sourcing.
Sourcing ingredients responsibly is critical for our planet and
the next generation. Equipping and educating young people
with the information to help make responsible choices about
the products they use, and the sustainability of the
ingredients inside them, is something teachers can do to
build this knowledge in the classroom.
Why sustainable palm oil?
Palm oil is one of the most widely used vegetable oils today.
It is found in up to 50% of products in UK supermarkets, in
everything from food to cosmetics. So it plays a significant
role in our daily lives – even if we don’t realise it.
But it can have a negative impact on the environment when
not produced sustainably, threatening the forests and wildlife
in areas it is grown like Borneo and Sumatra.
Thankfully, sustainable palm oil (SPO), which doesn’t
contribute to deforestation or habitat loss, is widely available.
According to the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), palm
oil is an incredibly efficient crop, requiring up to 10 times less
land to produce compared to other vegetable oils.
It’s also vital to local communities and the economies of
sourcing countries. We all use and consume products that
contain palm oil, so it is a very relevant topic when teaching
about responsible sourcing and sustainability.
A lesson on sustainable palm oil can cover everything from
rainforests to biodiversity and understanding different
cultures. It can teach children to become informed
consumers and advocates of positive change.
And finally, it’s fun! From orangutans and rainforests to how
we make food and shampoo – the topic of palm oil is an
opportunity to learn so much about the wild and wonderful
world we live in.

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