Meet Rayaan, a 3 year old little boy whose love for toy cars and silly songs were the source of many laughs and interesting conversations. His mother stays at home every day to take care of him and the few guests/tourists she gracefully welcomes into her home throughout the year.
.jpg) Rayaan's mother cooking |  View from inside their home |
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His father works in the oil palm plantations nearby, much like most men in this area. He tells us stories of his job, how strenuous and repetitive it is - and how much he does not like it. He remembers the time when his home was surrounded by rainforests and animals roamed in abundance. A time that was not so long ago.
The damages made by oil palm plantations are unprecedented and affect many lives - not just human ones.
Palm oil is the 2nd most important oil in the modern consumer society, after petroleum.
Producing it is a $50-billion-a-year business. It can be found in toothpaste, margarine, cookies, Nutella, Doritos, chocolate bars, lipstick, shampoo... you name it. All the stuff we consume but wouldn't die if we didn't.
Next time you go shopping, read the ingredients, you'll be surprised to see how many of your favourite products contain this stuff, and ask yourself if you really need it. There ARE other options :)
Here is a list of all the contests you can enter on a daily basis:
Monday: foodphotography and animalphotography
Tuesday: landscapephotography and cityscapephotography
Wednesday: architecturalphotography and vehiclephotography
Thursday: macrophotography and colourfulphotography
Friday: streetphotography and portraitphotography
Saturday: sportsphotography and smartphonephotography
Sunday: goldenhourphotography and longexposurephotography
 The treasures left behind by my great-grandfather #7 |  Our unexpected adventure - Reunion island 4 |
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 Our unexpected adventure - Reunion island 3 |  The treasures left behind by my great-grandfather #6 |
“Learning is not a race for information, it is a walk of discovery” - Jane Healy
You know those "most interesting man in the world" commercials by dos equis... I feel like you could take that guy's place in a heartbeat!
In fact...
It's about time the most interesting man in the world was a woman anyway ;)
Oh my GooooOooOod i'm "staying thirsty" for one of those for sure!
You goofball, that was a burst out laughing moment. Definitely need to practise my man poses now.
Was it one of those photoshop days?
It wasn't until I had that idea, and then found the PERFECT shot on one of your posts- and then I knew it needed to exist- I wasn't feeling so great yesterday, so the fact that I got that done at all was a miracle- but SO worth it lol-
I had a feeling it might make you lol a bit ;)
I'm so elated this is on the blockchain forever 😉
What happened to you yesterday? Hope things are better today...
Oh it was just a rough focus day. I guess I'm pretty hard on myself when I'm not shooting out of the gate like gangbusters!
Low energy and a bit run down physically- not much to do exept rest on those days... and make trolly photoshop art for lovely steemians ;)
Sounds like one of those winter days where you just have to let the day pass by and trust the next will be better.
Take it easy and enjoy your extra special weekend. Man, I wish i was 30 again!
Thank you! What’s with all the 30 stigma out there in the world anyway- high crossed the threshold myself now, I think it’s pretty damn great haha <3 Looking forward to finding out what the net decades have to offer
bahahahahahaha! :D :D :D :D
I couldn't resist!
Excellent photoshop skills! :D
I really like the first shot! It reminds me of a photo I once took in Vietnam =)
The palm oil industry is so bad. Hate how the forest looks on your photo. Every year countries like Borneo and Malaysia have to coop with smoke from ppl who burn forest in Indonesia, and that is just one example. And like you say, many of the products made from it are pretty unnecessary.
Beautiful little sweetheart, thank you for sharing @steef-05. Vietnam has had and still has its fair share of atrocities. I lived there for 7 years, and children much like this one, are living things no one would dare to imagine. Such a harsh world out there for some of these little guys...
wow you were in Vietnam for 7 whole years? Can I ask doing what? What part?
I lived in Saigon for 6 and Hanoi for 1 year. I initially moved out there to teach English and ended up doing a whole lot of stuff! (working in orphanages, helping out with various projects, lots of travelling...)
That's wonderful!!
And the cost-benefit ratio is atrocious.
A few people benefit from new (crappy) products, but the cost is the livelihood and a decent lifestyle of thousands of people.
You're right! How do we get more people to care about this? Not worth it.
oh wow you also took such a beautiful picture in Vietnam @ steef-05! I wonder if palm oil industry is the same reason farmers are burning in Thailand. hmm...I'll have to find out. I wish they would stop!
I think @majes.tytyty will be able to answer this question for you. Last I heard, he was living in Chiang Mai.
This is what I found on the topic:
source
Lol I'm in Chiang Mai! That's why I was wondering about it! Haha crazy. Also, I love how that article sounds so professional and then ends with the word "kerfluffle"
YES! I hesitated in editing that out but then thought naaaaahh, that's a very appropriate word 😜
That's very sad and the problem is that most people don't care! Deforestation for palm oil plantations is the main threat to the survival of orangutans 😢 I watched a documentary which really broke my heart 😖 some of the orangutans had been burnt and some babies were in cages cause they'd lost their mothers! 😟 I wish people would stop buying products containing palm oil!
Thanks for raising awareness about palm oil plantation :)
This post + comments = saddest ever. I hope people start to care
Thanks for your comment Bita and for mentioning these amazing creatures. I didn't even get into the orangutan's situation and the horrific tragedies they are living, because it is worth at least 10 posts of its own.
I recently discovered a new Steemian called @bjorneo who lives and documents the effects of deforestation on the entire species. I think you may like to see his work as well.
It’s saddening seeing how deforestation affects the human and animal lives. The rainforest is decimated. I’ve never paid much attention to the ingredients list. If only boycotting the products that use the ingredient would achieve results. Too many products use this ingredient and the devastation would only continue unless the local government takes action. Such a shame and tragedy to our world.
Boycotting products and raising awareness at the same time DOES achieve results. Maybe not as fast as we wish, but it does work. If the demand is not there, the stupidity stops. We feed the greed - each and everyone of us.
Photo taken 2 years ago on the leftovers of the Berlin wall (East side gallery)
Believe it girl!
Boycott Doritos @osm0sis? Cookies too? Talk about all the pleasures in life!
In all seriousness though, I’m very conscious of the ingredient label on products for my kiddos. Not so much on the products that I consume for myself. I will be more aware and look for this key ingredient.
It is a tragedy. Like many other things; killing of elephant for the ivory, hunting of seals for sport, chemical pollutants into our ocean, deforestation... where do I start and stop?
PS, are we still talking about real life issues or Steemit? 😉
Haha! Steemit has the potential to help raise awareness, give a voice to anyone and aim to impact others. It's a start 😉
^^ This. So many of our issues as a human race, and the issues we've caused the planet, come down to this. Sending you love, so you can shine even brighter in these beautiful places you visit. May that love ripple out to every tree, every creature, every person, every drop of water. Peace, my friend.
Peace to you my dear 💓
This is an excellent post, presenting some important facts behind the faces.
I've heard / read many horror stories about how many parts of Borneo are being denuded of forests and ravaged in other ways by corporations doing whatever they can to extract all the resources.
Thanks for doing your part in spreading awareness and promoting sustainable trends.
Thanks @majes.tytyty. If I can impact even just 1 person, I'm happy. The more we speak of these atrocities, the more we raise awareness. I'm just a tiny snowflake in a (hopefully) giant snowball :)
Yes, the only way to change the world is person by person.
As for the "snowflake," hopefully you'll become part of a great, rolling, benevolent snowball – not an avalanche.
Altho an avalanche that destroyed all the inequality and fraudulent behavior in our current system would be welcome, methinks.
Agreed!
:( Tragic, too many damned people and as a species we are going to wind up snuffing ourselves out, ...... sometimes I wonder what other species would be able to do a better job at stewarding this Planet then humans
b.a.
No species could do it on its own as we are nothing without each other. I believe our species is the only one who refuses to acknowledge this - Our desires for competition and destruction is and will be our downfall.
Be kind, be love, and educate :)
Thanks for stopping by @battleaxe
Ah, what a sweet post. I really make a point to not buy items with palm oil in. Actually, over the holidays, I was in an artisan soap shop, and when I asked about the palm oil in the soaps, the lady acted like I was mad. I mean come on now!
Step away from the crazy lady!
Hate it when people are ignorant and sometimes even full-on clueless to the products they sell. Or even shocked that you would dare to question the ingredients that will be going on your skin and in your body.
That says a lot about the product itself...
yup! she was just so nonchalant, I just decided to leave. No use wasting my energy on someone who plainly just doesn't GAF.
quel regard... rien qu'à lui seul, il nous fait voyager sans dépenser le moindre sou pour acheter un billet d'avion ! Merci Osmosis !
Merci a toi @tiloupsa 😊
yes a stark reminder of the cost of some of our products... thanks for sharing. it needs to be seen so it's not outa sight outa mind! <3
Exactly! But Steemit or other... keeping the conversation active about these topics (and other serious matters as such) DOES help. Here is one of the amazing creatures, now "trapped" in a conservation area, whose very species is on the brink of extinction. All that for a bag of f***chips!
Great point. This short Reply says more than many posts, and says things that definitely need to be said. Taken as a whole, our current standard of living / lifestyles are hardly sustainable.
As you state, such subjects merit some serious discussion. Let's all do what we can (which is potentially a lot) here on Steemit.
p.s. I had come here to congratulate you for "winning" the portrait photo contest. Congratulations!!!
Had no idea until you told me! Thank you.
Hopefully this will impact even more people who may read the post.
Here's to making Steemit a catalyst to further discussion and awareness.
Superb photo of the little Raayan, beautiful story of life too. Even if it does not seem easy every day. And it's true that we do not always pay attention to what's in our diet. We can sometimes be very surprised.
Thats and awesome photo, and very informative, how one ingredients in our favorite products causes more damage than we ever thought, inage how much it sells here in the US and how cheap they can buy it from other countries and how comfortable we are living and not even aware that because of us consuming more of the things we dont really need that causes more damage. Thanks for sharing!
It is such a tragedy... Thank you @errymil
Superbe photo de Raayan et intéressant sujet. Promis je ferai attention à ce que j'achète.
This is another outstanding documantry portrait from you. Exelent and wonderful captured! The little boy happy eyes, and the expresion on her face is so beautiful!And the contrasts and lights are perfect! I feel like giving her a hug! excellent work with articles and other photographs ..looking forward so se your next! Regards
Thank you so much @artizm. Happy to see these children have an impact on others.
holy moly seriously?! Why is palm oil in toothpaste? This is so sad for the family who isn't surrounded by forest anymore.
That pic of the little boy is beyond perfect. He has beautiful eyes!
La photo est magnifique .....
very sweet photography.i like photography and travel like you.you are a genious photographer i think.
please carry on your activity...
ok. Will do.
So nice moment.Some photos says.I appreciate your amazing moment photo.Have a good travel.Having fun
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its really awesome tk lsarn new things on your post? the petroleum that can be find in the usual.stuff that we uses , i am saddened to see the picture that we humans abused the oil palm plantation...havent thought about that, i highly appreciate that you share this story @osm0sis
Thank you for coming by @fernwehninja
really good examples of art, love these photographs a lot ! :)
Very powerful photography!
Thanks!
Child is so sweet. Love him!
😊
Great shot ! So cute !! And interesting story about Palm Oil !