Some Things to Know about Palm Oil

One of ACE's missions is to educate the public about issues that affect great ape survival. A serious threat to orangutans and their habitat is palm oil production. Palm oil is made from the fruit pulp or seed kernels of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Because of the recent health issues attributed to trans-fats, palm oil (a saturated fat) is being used as a replacement because it solidifies (without hydrogenation) when it is removed from its natural tropical climate.

Palm oil is ubiquitous; it is found in commercially baked goods, household products, soaps, lotions, makeup and even chocolate (oh! say it isn't so!!!).

Palm oil plantations often use slash and burn clearing methods to prepare new land for planting. As the demand for palm oil increases, plantation owners seek to expand their land holdings, further destroying forests and their inhabitants. Indonesia and Malaysia are top exporters of palm oil; Indonesia and Malaysia are the only places on earth that orangutans can be found in the wild.

This issue requires a solution more complex than merely calling for a boycott of all products containing palm oil. Firstly, the use of palm oil is too widespread for a ban to be plausible. Secondly, for many Indonesians and Malaysians, harvesting this product is the only source of income. Instead, ACE urges everyone to become informed consumers. Check product labels and try to purchase items without palm oil whenever possible; however, when this is not feasible, contact the companies and ask them if their palm oil is from a sustainable yield source. You can help create a conprehensive list for others to access by sending the information you obtain to palmoil@cmzoo.org

Staff at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have designed a wonderful site to help consumers become proactive, informed and concientious. Here is the link: www.cmzoo.org\palmoil.html

And, here is a very recent article about palm oil and its effects on orangutan populations:
Palm oil puts squeeze on Asia's endangered orangutan
Reuters, May 28, 2007
http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/scripts/external.php?link=7226