About me: The biggest threat to orangutans in the wild is from illegal logging of trees which are being cut down to make room for palm oil plantations. The deforestation rate is around 5 million acres of rainforest per year which is slightly larger than the state of New Jersey!
Palm oil is a seed crop grown in many parts of the world, the majority being in Malaysia and Indonesia. Orangutans are found exclusively on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
Palm oil is a form of edible vegetable oil used in many food and non-food industries, including but not limited to, cookies, crackers, popcorn, frozen dinners, candy, soap, cosmetics, pet food, and natural products / foods.
SUSTAINABLE YIELD palm oil is very important to the livelihood of millions of people in Indonesia. When it is produced NON-SUSTAINABLY, thousands of orangutans perish each year, due to clear cutting of rainforests and uncontrolled burns. In 1997-98 an uncontrolled burn of these palm oil plantations took the lives of 8,000 orangutans in Borneo.
NON-SUSTAINABLE palm oil plantations not only destroy biodiversity, but land is often forcibly taken from indigenous people resulting in the violation of human rights, worker exploitation and blood shed.
There are 15 times more deer in the state of Colorado alone, than there are orangutans in the world!
Orangutans and many other species face extinction in the wild in 10 years or less if we don’t do something .
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Read product labels at the store and find the labels that contain no palm oil OR labels that contain sustainable yield palm oil or palmitate.
Avoid wood products such as mahogany or teak.
Educate yourselves and tell others.
Donate to organizations that help in the battle to stop the spread of palm oil
Why should I take the time and effort to write a letter?
One person’s actions can make a difference. The palm oil issue is similar to the tuna industry situation in the early 1980-90s. Once people were aware of the plight of dolphins being killed in tuna nets, consumers demanded a change. The effort is well worth it if you think something is important.
Sample Letter
Who I'd like to meet: Please
take a moment to view this moving and inspiring footage from the Borneo
Orangutan Survival Foundation, and please send to all your contacts. Orangutans need all the help they can get!
Everyone with an interest in orangutan conservation: Check out The Great Ape Debate Thursday 30th April, 18:00-19:00 British time.
This debate focusses on the controversy surrounding Orang-utan conservation: Is rehabilitation and reintroduction of rescued captive animals a viable way of conserving Orang-utans or would resources be better spent on the purchase, protection and recreation of their natural habitats?
Good to be friends! Please watch the video for my song Shellshocked with amazing footage courtesy of Greenpeace International. Peace & Love! Nilla Nielsen - Shellshocked
Because of the world demand for Palm Oil, the forests of Borneo are disappearing before our eyes. This is bad news for Orang-utans and the other wildlife. WLT have about 3 months to raise £343,000 to save a priceless piece of forest and the Orang-utans which live in it. Our appeal is very urgent. Will you help?
