Is Palm Oil Worth The Cost Essay

The orangutan, one of the world’s great apes, resides on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The forests of these islands are being destroyed in order to create palm oil plantations. Palm oil is in high demand due to its uses as a biofuel and as a vegetable oil. The palm oil industry is a major threat to the survival of the critically endangered orangutans, due to loss of habitat. This leads to illegal poaching since the orangutans are viewed as pests, leaving many young infants orphaned and alone. There are rescue groups that rehabilitate these great apes, but more must be done in order to prevent the extinction of this rapidly declining species. Sustainable palm oil options need to be researched and utilized and there should

Palm oil is a lucrative business that generates billions of dollars a year. It is

The flyer continues by depicting the situation in which many animal species native to Malaysia and Indonesia are forced out of their habitats due to the deforestation efforts to make way for palm oil trees. This deforestation drives species to the edge of extinction. Palm oil is used in many edible goods such as candies and personal care products. In order to diminish this exhaustive deforestation, the reader, identified as a "consumer conservationist" is encouraged to only purchase products that use 100% certified sustainable palm oil by purchasing their sweets from a list of brands listed in the

Palm oil is a vegetable oil high in saturated fats extracted from the palm fruit, the palm tree is a native plant to West Africa then was imported into South East Asia in the mid-19th century. It is one of the most popular edible oils and is being used in approximately 50% of products currently in the supermarkets of Australia including cosmetics, toiletries and food. Malaysia and Indonesia grows around 87% of palm oil while Australia imports about 130,000 tonnes of palm oil every year. Due to the oil plantations being in countries where there

This is shown as the price greatly increases and the quantity decreases slightly. It is also important to note that the Acai palm has strict conditions of where is can grow, and although the palm is ecologically sustainable the supply will not continually increase with the demand (Brondizio, 2011). This will cause further problems as the demand continues to grow, the low income families who need the berry as a staple food will be unable to afford acai.

Any number of consumer goods could be associated with oil to form another Guns and Butter type model, but almonds are perhaps the most ideal comparison. Suzanne McGee, a journalist for The Guardian, discuses the “looming conflict” between those who want to use water for fracking and those who want to use water for irrigation. In her article, McGee reports that Ken County, California is home to the “sixth largest oil area” in the country and the production of oil in that area is due to hydraulic fracking, which requires large amounts of water to be effectively removed from the water cycle. Additionally, this area is home to many farmers who require significant amounts of water for irrigation purposes (McGee). With water resources becoming scares as a result of the long lasting drought, these “water-intensive industries” are in

Seeing as though if persistent of rapid expansion of production and rapid change of technology is what may be the underlying cause of the impacts both issues face.  But the growth has also brought questions about whether both current and future production can be done in an environmentally sound fashion that meets the needs of public trust.

Possible solutions for the Palm Oil crisis finding an alternative would be beneficial certain alleges can be used just the same as Palm Oil, except not environmentally damaging and sustainable. Use the voice you have raise awareness about the deforestation, enforce to governments and companies and manufacturers that they need to take serious action, voice the facts of whats hurting us and our earth. Lean more towards products that do not consume as much Palm Oil or even better none at all. There is solutions, the Palm Oil industry can still benefit and continue without harming communities and endangering wildlife, the answer is sustainable Palm Oil.

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a thick brown liquid with fine suspended solids at pH between 4 and 5 and highly contaminating wastewater directly and indirectly contaminates the environment. The chemical properties of POME differ widely through the year because of mill operations and seasonal cropping. Atmospheric methane concentration increased by 30% in the last 25 years. Net carbon emission from POME is approximately 1.4 x 106 tons per year. Assuming a mean annual increase of 29% as experienced from 1990 to 2004, the estimated CH4 gas emission may be 0.502 x 106 tons in the year 2020. Certified emission reduction (CER) can be attained by using methane gas as a renewable energy. At high organic loadings or at natural environment temperatures,

What is the relationship between rates of consumption of palm oil and incidence of heart disease?

Additionally, Palm Oil is highly productive, meaning it is capable of yielding more oil from less land than any other vegetable oil on the market and with relatively modest efforts. As a result, palm oil production has become an important source of income and a major part of the economy in the regions where it is grown, providing livelihoods for local communities and helping to bring people out of poverty. Since 1980, palm oil production has increased drastically with estimations of production increasing by 50% through 2050. It is estimated that there are 13-14 million hectares of palm oil plantations across the equator, producing a total of 56.2 million tonnes of palm oil in 2013. This land coverage provides 35% of the global vegetable oil

Palm oil was once only found in select regions of Africa until the discovery of its usefulness. It is now used in things such as soap, animal feed, lubricants, and paints. Because of its versatility, cheapness, and ease to grow, demand for the product has increased and trees

As with any other commodity, especially one that must be grown, there are obstacles to trading such a commodity. “The export of Shea from West Africa has seen a spectacular expansion over the last 10 years: An increase of over 600%. However, the sector still must overcome issues including variable Shea butter quality, rudimentary production processes and low awareness among international buyers (West Africa Hub Annual Report).” This low awareness of the product can serve as a major obstacle to trade. With the product only being marketed in Africa, the butter will have uncertain prices and production may not be as high as it would if it were being produced and sold on the international market. As more people become conscious of the unique properties of Shea butter, the demand for this product increases. This gradually increasing demand can place a strain on the trees and these trees have unpredictable yields, with one year producing an excellent yield and the other a poor yield. Because Shea butter is a relatively recent discovery to the cosmetic industry, Western cosmetic companies are only now beginning to realize the potential of the product. The way the Shea butter is produced from the nuts can also hamper the potential of the product being traded on a large-scale and at the international level. The butter if produced fully by hand to ensure a high quality, but this requires several hours and therefore it will take a considerable amount of time to

Many including Rothkopf, Grunwalf, and Ruiz-Marrero claim that biofuel is not the solution but rather will become a problem. They claim that if biofuel was produced in large quantity then agriculture would convert from food to fuel. According to the World Bank, over seventy five percent of the rises in food prices is directly caused by biofuel. Indonesia is the leading producer of palm oil, a major biofuel. In order to increase productivity, the people destroyed thousands of trees to plant palm tree. The destruction led to an increase in carbon production. Indonesia moved from the 21st most carbon producer to the third. Another major producer of biofuel is Brazil. If Brazilian farmers were to deforest the Amazon rainforest, it could cause a fifty percent increase in global warming. Through the world, deforestation accounts for over twenty percent of carbon emission. A gallon of biofuel requires the same amount of grain as a person would eat in a year. The switch from food to fuel would cause a worldwide food shortage and an increase in world hunger.

Soybean is the third largest oilseed crop in India next to Groundnut & Mustard and accounts for 25% of the total oilseeds produced in the country in a year. Soya oil contributes about 10% of total vegetable oils produced in the country. Groundnut is the most widely consumed and traded edible oil determining edible oil economics. India is the world’s second largest