Palm oil is an extremely popular vegetable oil used in over 50% of all products, most commonly found in hundreds of food items, as well as cosmetics, cleaning agents, and is even used in biodiesels. But as the demand for palm oil increases, what impact does this have on the tropical forests, the biodiversity found there and the global climate?
The rapid increasing demand for palm oil has caused substantial expansion of plantations throughout the forests of Southeast Asia and Africa. Palm plantations are progressing further into forest areas threatening the rich biodiversity in these ecosystems. In the palm oil industry Orangutans are considered pests. During the process of deforestation, Orangutans are often run over by heavy machinery, beaten to death, set on fire or buried alive. Being extremely inquisitive animals, Orangutans often wander into palm oil plantations. This will usually result in the adults being killed and the babies being sold into the pet trade or entertainment industry. Being a key-stone species, Orangutans and the rainforest need each other in order to survive. In the rainforest, every 5 Organutans per square kilometer can help to sustain 5 species of Hornbill, 15 species of Lianas, 50 species of fruit tree and many more.
A very important thing to know is that palm oil is only a temporary product without a long-term sustainable solution. Oil palm plantations will only last for around 20-50 years before the soil is completely ripped of all vital nutrients and the trees can no longer produce fruit. By purchasing products containing unsustainable palm oil, you are aiding the destruction of rainforests, wiping out species, and creating a significant ecological disaster. Not only are we destroying the lives of orangutans and other animals, but we are destroying the human race, without rainforests we cannot survive.