Problems caused by production of palm oil: Climate change: Huge areas of rainforest, mainly in Indonesia and Malaysia, are being cleared by burning. This puts huge amounts of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere.

2. Loss of biodiversity Two thirds of ALL the world’s plant and animal species live in Southeast Asia’s rainforests. These include endangered species like the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, the rhino and the Sumatran tiger.

Land rights of small farmers in danger Land grabbing – the people most affected by the change in use of their land are not allowed to participate in the creation of the agreements between multinational corporations and their governments

Working conditions on plantations Most plantation workers do not earn a living wage. The health and safety of workers is not a priority. Millions of children work on these plantations.

The RSPO, Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil, is the world’s leading certification scheme. It is based on the following 8 standards: 1. a commitment to transparency 2. acting in accordance with laws and provisions, 3. commitment to long-term economic sustainability 4. commitment to the best production practices 5. respect for and conservation of the environment 6. respect for workers and communities 7. responsibility in establishing new estates 8. commitment to continuous improvement.

So, what can we, the consumers, do. Increase awareness So, what can we, the consumers, do? Increase awareness. Look at the labels on packaged goods - Does it contain palm oil? Is there an alternative? Choose packaged goods containing sustainable palm oil.

Now we are going to watch edited clips from the multi award winning film Green by Patrick Rouxel, set in Indonesia. Green is a rescued orangutan who, as he lies in a hospital bed, reminisces about his life in his beautiful rainforest before the palm oil plantations. This is the link to the entire film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WNgoqBGw4Y