This holiday season, help protect Asmara’s wild cousins by sharing sustainably produced
goodies with your friends and family!
What does my plate have to do with Orangutans?
Nearly 50% of the products you see in the aisles at the grocery store contain an edible vegetable oil called palm oil, which is harvested from the fruit of the African oil palm tree.
Due to the high demand for palm oil, millions of acres of Bornean and Sumatran rainforests
are destroyed each year to plant oil palm.
Why is non-sustainable palm oil dangerous to orangutans?
In order to produce palm oil, orangutan’s rainforest homes are being cut down. The product’s
demand is necessitating the use of more and more of the rainforest each year.
When grown unsustainably, the crop may contribute to deforestation, destroying habitats that
many amazing species call home.
However, when grown sustainably, palm oil is produced in areas where it can safely coexist
with the natural ecosystem.
Why is boycotting not the answer?
As demand continues to grow, sustainably produced palm oil is one of the best choices for
vegetable oils. Oil palms have the ability to produce up to 10 times more oil per acre than other
oil producing crops.
In palm oil producing countries, the crop is also an integral part of their economy, with
production employing millions.
How can you help?
1. Do your research and support companies that use sustainably sourced palm oil.
2. View some of our suggestions for orangutan-friendly holiday goodies that are
members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil:
Treats
- Häagen-Dazs
- Swiss Miss
- Orville Redenbacher
- Planters
- Betty Crocker
- Pillsbury
- Snyder’s
Chocolate
- York
- Ghirardelli
- Hershey’s
- Lindt
- Twix
- Reese’s
- Snicker’s
Candy
- Twizzler’s
- Airheads
- Skittles
- Jolly Ranchers
- Starburst
- Sour Patch
- Haribo
3. Check out more tips from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or download their Sustainable
Palm Oil Shopping App from the app store.
Written by Peyton Hochhalter, Communications Intern[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]