Palm oil trees originated in Asia, Africa & South America.
Palm oil is currently farmed in Indonesia.. It is extracted from a palm oil tree and is used as an ingredient in cereals, chips and sweets. It is also found in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and various medications.
Palm oil is used by many leading companies, including Mars, Nestle, General Mills, The Body Shop, Girl Scouts, Chevron Oil, Alison Raffaele Cometics, Alernative Baking Companies and many more.
Palm oil can be found in almost 50% of packaged foods, and is used by many companies.
The Bad News:
Palm Oil is produced cheaply and quickly so it is a readily available source for a lot of companies.
Palm oil farming is the leading cause of habitat destruction for Sumatran Tigers and other animals.
Palm Oil forrests are being overfarmed (being farmed faster than they can be replaced)
The Good News:
Some companies have agreed to use only sustainable palm oil.
Sustainable palm oil is grown on reclaimed land rather than on newly destroyed rain forests.
Many companies are joining the RSPO, (see more under the "Let's Help" tab above) so they are making smarter choices for palm oil production.