: This Group Could Help Your Favourite Eatery Switch To Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Oil #IndiaNEWS #Environment This article has been published in partnership with RSPO Almost three years ago when Sameer

This Group Could Help Your Favourite Eatery Switch To Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Oil #IndiaNEWS #Environment
This article has been published in partnership with RSPO

Almost three years ago when Sameer Hans, along with his partners, Sanu Ratho and Suchismita Naik, started the Bhubaneshwar-based Bocca Cafe, serving great food was not the only goal. In their own words the trio wanted to serve “an eco-revolution on a plate???.
From eco-friendly coir coasters, cornstarch and sugarcane pulp packaging, paper straws to a zero plastic policy, they want to set a positive example for the city’s food and hospitality industry.
Source: Bocca Cafe/Facebook
Sameer also added, “the fight against environmentally degrading practices by adopting sustainable methods is a continuous process, which will require commitment and a willingness to learn and change. ???
And, that is why, when Punyasloka Panda, the lead coordinator at Youth for Sustainability, approached Bocca Cafe to help raise awareness about the harmful effects of unsustainable oil palm cultivation, Sameer and his team were quick to extend their support.
Positive change, one plate at a time
Sameer was shocked to realise that palm oil was not just used as a cooking oil. It appears in many other products like bread, ice-cream, chocolate, and even shampoo and soap. It is one of the most commonly consumed edible oils in the world.
“It is a welcome realisation that there are so many indirect ways of consuming palm oil, be it through ingredients, cleaning products or other packaged items. This is a constant process of learning and improving, and we are doing our best to accommodate and evolve,??? says Sameer.

But, the problem is not the use of the oil, but the production. Unsustainable farming practices of oil palms can cause damage to the environment and have been associated with the destruction of millions of hectares of tropical rainforests, and endangering species like the orangutan, rhinoceros and the Sumatran tiger.
On the other hand, when produced sustainably, oil palms have proven to be a more efficient crop.
In Punyasloka’s words, it is our responsibility as consumers and active stakeholders to source and consume palm oil products responsibly.
“Youth for Sustainability is spreading awareness among restaurants so they too can be agents of change,??? he said.
Thus, with his team of volunteers, Youth for Sustainability reached out to almost 30 restaurants in Bhubaneswar alone, and at least 15 of them agreed to ask their suppliers to provide certified sustainable palm oil.
Bocca Cafe is one of the many success stories of this initiative.
Youth for Sustainability
Youth for Sustainability began in 2019 dedicated to environmental conservation and becoming the bridge between the youth and influential sustainability stakeholders.