When You Think You’ve Heard It All

Macaca_leonina_Thailand — Picture by Mosmas (Wikimedia Commons)

By Risa M. Mandell

Ah, the humans. At it again. Good idea to be sitting when you read this.

Coconuts here there everywhere. What possibly could be wrong with this vegan delight finding its way into just about every personal care product known to enlightened humans? Nice people who like to use nice products, including haute vegan cheese, butter and meat.

I regret spoiling the moment when you hoped to catch up on some tepid reading about the furry, cuddly among us, for I’m here to let you know that it’s likely that your coconut-infused products are made with coconuts gathered by child slave labor, that is, the labor of baby primates, as reported by Nathan Winograd and others. Their mothers have been murdered. They’re then chained, whipped and beaten into submission. They are hung by the neck to develop strong back legs. Why? Because they can then pick 1200 coconuts each day in contrast to humans who can only pick a few hundred each day. Is that all? No. The monkeys faint from exhaustion and are fed stimulants and caffeine to keep them going.

The depravity of some humans continues to outdo itself.

Winograd states, “Southeast Asia supplies 85% of the world’s coconuts and virtually all the plantations.”

The world in which we live requires savvy diligence. Caveat emptor continues to have startling resonance in a globally-sourced world. Coconuts harvested in the Americas may be safe.

The Humane Party has a nifty, quick Three-Yes Test to determine whether you’re using an ethical product. In brief,

Was the process free from exploitation?

Is the product vegan and organic?

Will the product be ecologically neutral?

In the meanwhile, my soul has left my body once again. This time to liberate these monkeys.

Philip Wollen’s Facebook post, March 18, 2017

Bangkok Post article, September 6, 2015

Daily Mail article, September 30, 2015

NPR report, October 19, 2015

Washington Post article, October 20, 2015

Huffington Post article, October 21, 2015

YouTube presentation, March 17, 2016