Home to half the plant and animal species on earth, tropical rainforests are being cleared and burned to make way for palm oil plantations. Palm oil is an ingredient used in 50 percent of all consumer goods from lipstick to breakfast cereals. It's only grown in tropical countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, countries that are home to some of the world's last intact rainforests.

Increasing demand from Western countries is pushing palm oil cultivation into the rainforests – destroying habitats for endangered species, displacing communities, and making Indonesia the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter as carbon from felled forests is released into the atmosphere.

We’re working to stop this destruction by asking Cargill, the biggest importer of palm oil into the United States, to make a commitment to stop converting forests into palm oil plantations and to start respecting the rights of communities who need intact forests for their livelihoods. And we need your help!

Cargill has the potential to become a leader in socially and environmentally responsible palm oil production but they need to hear your message loud and clear that it is unacceptable to clear rainforests for palm oil.

Source: Rainforest Action Network