Palm oil is one of the most famous vegetable oils in the world. Used in most consumer goods, this particular oil may be cheap but comes at a huge cost to the environment. Palm oil has been linked to many human, environmental, and animal rights abuses, yet companies continue to use this particular oil in everything from laundry detergent to snack foods and lipsticks. It's clear that the world is aware of the many atrocities related to 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Some companies have joined the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil and have promised to source all of their palm oil from certified, sustainable sources in the coming years. While these initiatives are extraordinary and could influence real change in the abusive practices of the palm oil industry, they have not yet been very successful. Because palm oil supply chains can be difficult to monitor, violations of RSPO standards pose a major problem for some companies that claim to source oil sustainably. “The lack of oversight has led to the violation of numerous RSPO measures, undermining efforts to reform palm oil policy” (Rainforest Action Network). Until there is evidence that a real change has been made to ensure that all palm oil is sustainably sourced, it is a good idea to avoid buying products that contain palm oil altogether. I have a few reasons to prove that palm oil should be something to avoid. First, palm oil contributes heavily to deforestation. The palm oil industry plays an important role in human-induced climate change as palm oil plantations have eliminated some of the world's most valuable forests for carbon capture. “In 2009, nearly 30% of Indonesia's reported carbon emissions were the result of deforestation” (One Green Planet). Another noteworthy statistic is that “every hour in Indonesia and Malaysia an area the size of 300 football pitches is bulldozed to make way for palm plantations” (Say No to Palm Oil campaign). threat to endangered species living in these tropical areas. Secondly, palm oil is driving orangutans to extinction. The fragile orangutan population could become extinct in our lifetime if we continue to destroy their home 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 a 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 2,000 million pounds. Over 98% of all palm oil used in the United States comes from Southeast Asia” (One Green Planet). This is a big problem for orangutans because they only live in the rainforests of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. “Orangutans have lost more than 80% of their natural habitat in the last 20 years” (The Orangutan Conservancy). Third, palm oil is also driving other endangered species to extinction. “There are only about 400 tigers left on the island of Sumatra. In 1978 it was estimated at 1000” (Care2 Causes). “Sumatran rhinos are also disappearing, with a population of less than 200” (One Green Planet). The expansion of palm oil ushered in.