Keep Orangutans From Going Extinct
Orangutans are on the verge of extinction. They're one of many species threatened by the booming palm oil industries in Indonesia and Malaysia--where tropical rain forests are being cleared at an alarming rate in order to provide land for plantations that grow oil palm. An estimated 5,000 orangutans die every year after losing their forest homes and food sources, and many are shot or tortured when they are found wandering onto plantations. As their numbers dwindle, it's up to us, as consumers, to save them. Here are some ways to help.
Instructions
1. Boycott any products that contain palm oil in their ingredients. Palm oil is widely used in processed foods such as cookies, chips, margarine, and candy. It is also found in many household products and cosmetics like detergent, lotion and lipstick. Boycotting such products keeps money from the palm oil industry, helping to slow its takeover and destruction of rainforests.
2. Spread the word. Talk to friends and family about boycotting products made with palm oil. Most people haven't heard about the damaging effects of the palm oil industry on the environment and animals like orangutans. Raising awareness is one of the most important ways you can help. The more people boycott palm oil, the more corporations will feel the pressure to stop using it.
3. Write letters to companies that sell products with palm oil and make it clear that you are disappointed in their choice to support a destructive industry. Ask them to consider alternative options to palm oil, and tell them that you won't buy their products until they stop using it.
4. Speak with grocery store managers or contact a chain's corporate headquarters about discontinuing the sales of items made with palm oil. This can be difficult to accomplish, but it's worth a try. Most people unknowingly support the palm oil industry when they buy these products because there are so many of them. Removing the products completely could make a significant impact on the industry.
5. Donate money to an organization that helps orangutans displaced by deforestation. Many of these orangutans are orphans--shelters give them a home and a place to be cared for, as they have no other place to go since their natural habitats are vanishing. You can also get involved by choosing an orangutan to "adopt." Check the Resources section for some links to these organizations.
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