Palm oil is an ingredient we use in our everyday lives, and yet many are unaware of the negative effects its production has on the environment. Palm oil is in almost everything from shampoo and snack food to cosmetics and candy. It’s ubiquity has become a threat to the environment, so let’s call upon all palm oil producers and consumers to convert to sustainable practices. 

     Palm oil comes from the fruit of African palm oil trees. Palm oil harvesting companies are destroying large forests all over the world every day to clear the way for plantations of African palm oil trees. When existing forests are cut down or burned, the felled or destroyed trees release all the carbon dioxide they’ve stored throughout their life into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Even more dire, many forested areas which are considered perfect for growing palm oil trees have a layer of peat on the ground up to 50 feet. When this peat is burned to make way for palm oil plantations, the peat releases methane gas into the atmosphere. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. Every year, about 3.5 to 7 billion existing trees are destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. If we curtail the production of non-sustainable palm oil - one of the largest causes of deforestation in the world - greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere would drop immensely.

     Not only do palm oil plantations cause climate change, but they are also responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals per year. Palm oil plantations are obliterating the habitats of animals such as Bornean elephants, Bornean orangutans, Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran rhinos, pygmy elephants, and clouded leopards. It is estimated that  non-sustainable palm oil plantations cause the deaths of 1,000 to 5,000 orangutans a year. In total, over 193 endangered species are threatened by palm oil production, many of which are close to extinction. For instance, there are now only about 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world.  

     There are a number of companies which are successfully producing palm oil in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, which doesn’t require rainforest destruction or the wipe-outs of more endangered species. Companies that produce sustainable palm oil do not clear forests to make room for palm oil plantations, allowing animals to keep their homes. 

     Some argue that if non-sustainable palm oil plantations were banned, it would hurt the economy of the producing countries. However, converting to sustainable palm oil production will bring both steady jobs and environmental benefits. The overriding harm to the economy is global warming, which will destroy the entire ecosystem that makes these regions amenable to planting palm oil trees in the first place.

     This is why palm oil companies should switch to sustainable palm oil and get certified by the non-profit organization Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Currently 19% of the world’s palm oil is RSPO certified, and increasing that number will make a huge contribution toward protecting our environment. The palm oil companies that are RSPO certified don’t burn forests or destroy habitats, but still provide jobs for people and allow them to bring food to their table. Therefore, please sign this petition pleading with all companies that produce and distribute palm oil-containing products to switch to sustainable palm oil. 

So what will you fight for? The environment, or shampoo? 

Thank you very much!