Soap making

[JohnMB]

Hi Mel. Cheeky question this. I came across your page http://www.selfsufficientish.com/soapmaking.htm recently. I've just published a book on soap making (you can see it here: http://www.how2crafts.com/books/make-your-own-soap) and I wondered if I sent you a copy whether you'd be happy to add it to the page above if you liked it. Cheers, John

[Big Al]

well that's a new way to spam everyone about a new book.......

[Andy Hamilton]

Does seem a bit spammy, but my main concerns are about the book itself. I always try and applaud authors as I know how tough a world it is out there, but in this case I have to point out two things that get right up my nose... firstly, the use of T***o olive oil in one of the pictures in the book, do they need more advertising? Secondly and this is a real big issue, the use of palm oil.

To quote from the greenpeace website.

....palm plantations encroach further and further into forested areas. This is happening across South East Asia, but the problem is particularly acute in Indonesia which has been named in the 2008 Guinness Book of Records as the country with fastest rate of deforestation. The country is also the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, largely due to deforestation.

I study the ingriedients when I buy soap to ensure I am not buying palm oil. Indeed, I study the ingriedients on everything I buy to make sure I am not buying palm oil. I am pretty livid that anyone should avocate using it when there are so many other things to use, the author of this book could have used the oportunity to highlight the issues surrounding palm oil.

[Susie]

firstly, the use of T***o olive oil in one of the pictures in the book, do they need more advertising?

Perhaps not. But every little helps!

[oldjerry]

Nice one.

[Big Al]

well I deliberatly didn't click on the link to add to the awareness of this book whoever the author is.

[JohnMB]

I study the ingriedients when I buy soap to ensure I am not buying palm oil. Indeed, I study the ingriedients on everything I buy to make sure I am not buying palm oil. I am pretty livid that anyone should avocate using it when there are so many other things to use, the author of this book could have used the oportunity to highlight the issues surrounding palm oil.

Hi Andy. Just to apologise for being spammy - it wasn't my intention to get anyone's backs up. And certainly didn't mean to offend anyone with the T***o label!

But also wanted to put one thing straight - the author of this book is aware of, and has written about, the problems of palm oil:

The first recipe uses palm oil which is an excellent ingredient in soap-making as it saponifies easily (see glossary) but is, at this present moment in time, a bit controversial due to rainforests being cut down to make way for palm plantations for biofuels at the expense of orangutans and other native wildlife and endangered species. It is possible to buy palm oil (organic) from sustainable plantations where no virgin rainforest is being destroyed to grow palm and in some cases the farmers, especially those in Colombia, are being encouraged to grow sustainable palm rather than cocaine. This can be sourced from http://www.fresholi.co.uk but other soap making suppliers also supply organic palm oil from sustainable sources. Look for palm oil from suppliers that are signed up to the RSPO (Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil). One of the recipes doesn’t contain palm oil for those of you who really don’t want to use it.