On May 20th, activists around the world called on major snack food companies to cut conflict palm oil from their supply chains. From Australia to Kuala Limpur to San Francisco, thousands participated in the Rainforest Action Network’s #inyourpalm campaign. Activists unfurled a 60-foot banner at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago. In Washington, DC, we distributed information and spoke with the public about the impact of palm oil.
Palm oil touches each of our lives, as it is found in a huge array of packaged foods and personal hygiene products that are found in every supermarket. In the United States, palm oil imports have increased by 485% in the past decade. The demand for this crop has pushed oil plantations further into some of the world’s most valuable rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia, where 90% of palm oil is grown. The Indonesian government has announced plans to convert 44 million acres of land for palm oil cultivation by 2020, and 98% of Indonesia’s forests may be destroyed by 2022.
These areas are some of the most biologically diverse in the world. Although it is home to only 1% of earth’s land area, it is home to 10% of all known plant species, 12% of known mammal species, and17% of known bird species. Although most of Indonesia was once forested, less than half of that forest remains today. Estimates suggest that 2.4 million acres of Indonesian rainforest is lost each year. Several critically endangered animals are impacted by this rampant deforestation, including the Sumatran tiger and Sumatran rhino, both of which have only hundreds left in the wild. The Sumatran orangutan is at a high risk for extinction in our lifetime, largely due to deforestation for palm oil. The population of orangutans fell by 14% between 2004 and 2008. Palm oil plantations are also involved in many land disputes with rural communities and have been linked to child and forced labor. The destruction of these ecosystems also contributes largely to greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite all of the negative impacts, there is a simple solution to this problem: responsible palm oil. Although some products carry different sustainable palm oil certification labels, these companies are still able to destroy rainforests. Companies involved in the production or use of palm oil need to take extra steps to ensure that their products do not contribute to the loss of these irreplaceable ecosystems and human rights violations. Food manufacturing companies need to display a transparent supply chain that allows consumers to understand the sourcing of their products.
Large snack food companies, such as PepsiCo, must immediately take action to ensure the responsible sourcing of their products. Many of these companies have taken recent steps to announce new commitments to strengthening their palm oil practices, which is an important move in the right direction. PepsiCo, the largest snack food company in the world, has yet to release a truly responsible palm oil policy. Despite a recent commitment, the company’s actions have fallen short.
Help ensure that healthy rainforest ecosystems remain on our planet by calling on PepsiCo and all companies to cut conflict palm oil from their supply chains completely. Always check the labels of the products that you purchase and avoid those that contain palm oil ingredients. Visit ran.org to learn more. It’s simple; the power is in your palm!
6 comments on “Last Stand of the Orangutan: The Power is in Your Palm”
What are you people doing….and why? Palm oil is more important than innocent animals lives? I’m sickened by what all of you are doing to these iconic, intelligent animals. It has to stop. Are you capable of caring about other living creatures? If you’re not, a lot of other people do. The reason? We have hearts and we don’t want these wonderful animals to die, suffer or go extinct. Please…..stop the deforestation. We will never use Palm oil.
The conflict of palm oil is definite controversy. A way to appease both sides, and encourage actions that would help the human and animal life, would be responsible, sustainable replanting and monitored harvesting. we would aim for a point when natural resources remain untouched and the farmed is the only section that is utilized by industry. In effect, the plethora of wildlife would have a habitat potentially a protected one, and humans can still use the products they know and love. Investment now pays in the future. The environmental and economic areas alone would be a tremendous addition to the world. If perhaps bottom line is your answer. Think of the potential of clients when you cater to the natural human nature to nurture and protect. Make your product sustainable and, generally, people will want to buy your products.
Were do I get a list of foods and all company’s that are still using palm oils,and addresses of this company’s,maybe you might know, thank you .. JK.
Hi Jackie,
This link from the World Wildlife Fund has some great info about products containing palm oil and the ingredient names to look out for: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everyday-products-contain-palm-oil. I hope that helps!
Amanda
dear orangut i will save you and your home in the rainforist keep palm oil away from orangutan
Palm oil has not always been an ingredient on peanut butter. Why have manufacturers moved in this direction?? I have always read labels to avoid hydrogenated oils, only recently am I seeing this product more widely used in many foods and cosmetics??