Palm oil costs the lives of about50 orangutans every week and
its cultivation is a major cause of global warming.
Palm Oil Production could be doubled by using already felled land rather than taking more habitat down. However that will take political commitment and action (ie monitoring and protection of the forests and consequences for logging) at a central and local government level. And that becomes a much more complicated discussion!
Here are some quick facts about Palm Oil:
- Palm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree.
- Palm Oil is in 1 in 10 supermarket products.
- The Orang-utan is set to become extinct in the wild in less than a decade, this is predominantly due to habitat loss which is cased by Palm Oil production.
- 70% of Palm Oils is used in food products.
- Palm Oil is used to make some BioDiesels... so called Green fuels. Ironically the effect of the Palm oil explosion is set to do more harm to the environment through deforestation than the use of BioFuel will offset!
- To fuel global demand for Palm Oil, Greenpeace estimates an area of pristine Rainforest, equivalent to 300 football fields, is destroyed every hour.
- Deforestation, mainly in tropical areas, account for up to one-third of total anthropogenic CO2 emissions.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) states there is convincing evidence that palmitic oil consumption contributes to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Research in the US and Europe support th e WHO report.
Click here to hear to full interview with Rebecca King from Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS)
For more information visit the following sites:
http://www.palmoilaction.org.au/
BOS are holding a Cocktail Party to raise funds. The event is on 10th November at Soulmama at the St Kilda Sea Baths (10-18 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda ). Includes fingerfood, beer, wine and soft drinks from 7-10pm. To purchase tickets call Sue: 0408 944 183 or purchase on line at http://www.orangutans.com.au/. No door sales.
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