Geneva Orangutans Call for Moratorium on Rainforest Destruction
Photo Credit: Green Peace
On April 15th Greenpeace protestors, in full suit Orangutan costumes, protested the Nestle company shareholders meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. Members of Greenpeace were protesting the Nestle Company’s support of palm oil supplier, Sinar Mas, whose industrial efforts have significantly impacted Indonesia’s remaining rain forests. These forests are the home of the endangered Orangutan great apes. Further encroachment of developers into these forests threatens the very existence of this unique species.
Deforestation in Indonesia has led to the nation becoming the worlds third highest emitter of greenhouse gases behind only the United States and China. Between 1990 and 2005 Indonesia lost more than 28 million hectares of forest. It seems as though Indonesia will continue to experience rapid deforestation. Though Nestle company has cut ties with Indonesian supplier Sinar Mas, they are still purchasing palm oil from Cargill, a known supplier of Sinar Mas. With all the bad press, Nestle company has responded and pledges to source only sustainable palm oil by year 2015. Though this is a step in the right direction, a company whose net profits in 2009 almost equaled 10 billion US dollars could certainly do more.
To read more and watch the video click here
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