Palm oil is one of the most popular vegetable oils in the world. Used in most consumer goods, this particular oil may be cheap, but it comes at a huge cost to the environment. Palm oil has been linked to numerous environmental, animal, and human rights violations, but companies continue to use this particular oil in everything from laundry detergents to snacks and lipsticks. It’s clear that the world is aware of the many atrocities associated with the palm oil industry, so what is being done to stop it? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Some companies have signed up with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil and promised to source their entire supply of palm oil from certified and sustainable sources over the coming years. years. Although these initiatives are surprising and could lead to real change in the palm oil industry's abusive practices, they have not yet been successful. Because palm oil supply chains can be difficult to track, violations of RSPO standards are a huge problem for some companies that claim to source their oil sustainably. “The lack of oversight has led to many RSPO measures being violated, thereby negating their efforts to reform their palm oil policy” (Rainforest Action Network). Until there is evidence that real changes have been made to ensure that all palm oil comes from sustainable sources, it will be a good idea to completely avoid purchasing products containing palm oil. I have a few reasons to prove that palm oil should be avoided. First, palm oil contributes significantly to deforestation. The palm oil industry plays a significant role in human-induced climate change, as oil palm plantations have destroyed some of the world's most valuable carbon-capturing forests. “In 2009, almost 30 percent of Indonesia's reported carbon emissions were the result of deforestation” (One Green Planet). Another statistic to note is that “every hour, an area the size of 300 football fields is cleared in Indonesia and Malaysia to make way for palm plantations” (Say No to Palm Oil Campaign). Forest leveling not only impacts the climate, but poses a very immediate problem. threat to endangered species that live in these tropical areas. Second, palm oil is driving orangutans to extinction. The fragile orangutan population could disappear within our lifetime if we continue to destroy their habitats and natural habitats for palm oil plantations. “Over the past 10 years, the population of Sumatran and Bornean orangutans has declined by more than 20,000” (One Green Planet). This sharp decline coincides with growing demand for palm oil in the United States. “Between 1990 and 2010, the average amount of palm oil consumed in the United States increased by 2 billion pounds. More than 98 percent of all palm oil used in the United States comes from Southeast Asia” (One Green Planet). This is a huge problem for orangutans because they only live in the rainforests of the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. “Orangutans have lost more than 80% of their natural habitat over the past 20 years” (The Orangutan Conservancy). Third, palm oil also drives extinction..