The world today is becoming more eco-conscious and aware of climate change. One thing, however, is being hidden. Hidden behind food labels and morphed into different words, behind everything we own, is palm oil. It may seem harmless, but the extraction and production of this fruit is far from that. The problem is that how it is being extracted is accounting for species endangerment, deforestation, air and water pollution, and climate change. Changing the extraction of palm fruit to a more sustainable method is crucial in saving species, forests, and the Earth.

To create a palm oil plantation, hundreds of thousands of acres of Rainforest land is burned down contributing to climate change through the adding of CO2 into the atmosphere. Species of orangutans, Sumatran, Bornean, and the newly discovered Tapanuli, are all endangered and critically endangered at just 104,700 Bornean’s, 7,500 Sumatran’s, and 800 Tapanuli’s in the world due partly to the Palm Oil Industry. Even with orangutans’ critical status, according to the Orangutan Foundation International, “every year it is estimated that between 1,000 to 5,000 orangutans are killed in Palm Oil concessions." Additionally, it is stated that “approximately 2,000-3,000 Bornean orangutans were killed every year in the past four decades alone, representing a loss of more than 50% of the original population in just 40 years” (Orangutan Foundation).

The simple solution to the crisis of palm oil is not to eradicate the practice completely because this avoidance might cause more harm than good. If a transition from palm oil to a different oil were to occur, individuals might see the same detrimental effects on the environment and new species that is seen with palm oil. The most effective solution is to make this practice 100% sustainable and ensure that the palm oil is coming from a company that is not committing deforestation and not harming the well being of wildlife.

Essentially, sustainable palm oil will produce a harmonic balance between meeting the needs of humans while also taking the needs of the environment and its species into account. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is one of the leading organizations that push countries and other businesses to go sustainable.

Actions like signing this petition will grow the voice of orangutan's and endangered species everywhere due to palm oil. It is said that by 2050, half of the Earth's species will go extinct. Half. That's a scary thought to think one day the last orangutan will give its last breath along with millions of other species. You can stop this by taking action now. The orangutans and other species are counting on us. We've created the problem, now it's time to fix it.