My name is Jakira Bowen Duarte. I am a year 8 student at Sacred Heart College Kyneton, Australia. Through this petition, I hope I can share my passion for this topic and gain coverage for the issue so that it is at the forefront of people's minds when they select which products to buy. Like many, I love chocolate or a packet of chips. You've probably never thought too hard about this, neither did I, but at what cost? Many chocolates, chips, skincare, shampoo, bread, ice cream, and other food and personal items contain this ingredient.

Palm oil.

Palm oil is literally everywhere; in our foods, cosmetics, cleaning products and fuels. Palm oil is the most produced and consumed vegetable oil in the world. Most palm oil is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, however, producers are now expanding operations into West and Central Africa. Palm oil is one of the most aggressive forms of deforestation in Indonesia and other equatorial countries, as it is found in 40-50% of all household products. Indonesia's endangered orangutan population, which relies on the rainforest has decreased as much as 50% in recent years. Devastatingly, the orangutans have seen more than 90% of their habitat destroyed over the past two decades. Unfortunately, orangutans aren't the only ones suffering.  Rhinos, Sumatran elephants and Sumatran tigers have also lost so much of their homes because of us. I think this is an important topic for me to share, as it is such a huge yet unspoken issue on our Earth. We cannot let our precious orangutans and beautiful rainforests fade away. We need to change the way we consume and live before it is too late.

By making informed and sustainable choices about what we consume, together we can truly make a difference. 

By signing this petition you are being a voice for the orangutans, and letting those in charge of producing and manufacturing unsustainable palm oil know that we care and we don't support their actions.