What an orangutan has to say...

It is videos like this that really break a conservationist's heart. However, at least there is something we can all do to help. Be aware of what you eat and make the right choices! Please watch this short video below to see a heartwarming message from a little deaf girl communicating by sign language with an orangutan.

http://www.upworthy.com/what-an-orangutan-says-to-this-little-girl-is-a-message-we-all-need-to-know-about-2

Why should we avoid eating foods or using products made with palm oil?

Palm oil is an introduced agricultural crop and is destroying the natural rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. When palm oil is not sustainably collected, the rainforest habitat is destroyed, and subsequently, many plant and animal species are affected. Simply making the choice to avoid foods with palm oil, we can decrease the demand for increased palm oil harvesting, and reduce the need for company expansion, which will overall help preserve the rainforest habitats.

Why is the WAVE Foundation and Newport Aquarium worried about this issue?

By losing the Borneo and Sumatra rainforests alone, we would lose over 400 mammal species, over 1000 bird species, almost 400 reptiles, over 200 amphibians, almost 700 fish, and over 30,000 plant species. That is something that no one should want to see happen! So by increasing the awareness of this issue, we hope people will be more aware of their food and products that they use, and overall help us help these wonderful animals.

Is there sustainable palm oil that I should support instead?

Yes! It is known as “sustainable palm oil”, and is rainforest friendly and provides a steady income for the local farmers and better supports the economy and needs of the local people overall.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (the RSPO) is a group made up of social and government organizations, companies and businesses that set the standards for sustainable palm oil. Visit www.rspo.org for more information. Or download the Sustainable Palm Oil App on your phone to help make the right choices.


Halloween is coming... and a lot of our candy choices have palm oil in them. Please help the rainforests and all the animals in it by picking a candy without palm oil. To help with this choice, visit the Halloween candy guide here... http://www.cmzoo.org/docs/PalmOilHalloweenGuide.pdf.

Also, for a quick reference, any products made by Nestle, Kellogg's, PepsiCo (Frito Lay), Hershey's, Mars, Walmart Great Value Brand, ConAgra, Kraft Foods and Nabisco are good choices because they are all members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and use sustainable palm oil in their products.