Palm oil is the number one leading cause of rainforest destruction. It is found in biodiesel, processed foods, shampoos, cosmetics, soap, candles, etc. At 66 million tons annually, palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil on the market. With their CO2 and methane emissions, palm oil-based biofuels actually have three times the climate impact of traditional fossil fuels. Not only are they harmful for the environment, but the inhumane destruction of the forests costs the lives of endangered species such as the orangutan, Borneo elephant and Sumatran tiger. Smallholders and indigenous people who have inhabited and protected the forest for generations are often brutally driven from their land. Human rights violations are everyday occurrences, even on supposedly “sustainable” and “organic” plantations. Our health is also at risk: refined palm oil contains large amounts of harmful fatty acid esters that are known to damage DNA and cause cancer.  

Read more at https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/topics/palm-oil#start