Grown in the tropics, the oil palm tree is harvested for its fruit, which produces high-quality cooking oil commonly used in developing countries. Although it’s a small part of our diet in the U.S., palm oil is present in more than half of all packaged products Americans consume.
As global demand rises for this versatile oil, oil palm plantations are spreading across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. To make room for the plantations, large areas of tropical forests are cleared, destroying critical habitat for endangered species.
Palm oil can be hard to identify on product labels. But you can avoid unsustainable palm oil. When you purchase products that display the RSPO trademark, you support sustainable palm oil that was produced without causing harm to the environment, wildlife, or society. Do your part by being aware of products that contain palm oil and purchasing only those that contain sustainable palm oil.
