PROTESTERS appealed to supermarkets and their shoppers to take action to protect threatened orangutans.
Friends of the Earth spoke to managers at five supermarkets in Calderdale, as part of a national campaign, to highlight the threat posed to the apes in South East Asia because their habitat is disappearing to make way for palm oil plantations.
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You may not realise it, but many of the goods you sell are responsible for pushing the orangutan towards the verge of extinction,” was the message given to supermarket managers, at Morrisons, in Todmorden, and four stores in Halifax, when Friends of the Earth handed out leaflets to highlight the orangutan’s plight.
“People were intrigued and most of them didn’t know about the threat palm oil plantations pose to orangutans. We were pleased with the reception we received at Morrisons. It’s been a good start to the campaign and we will be ramping up the pressure,” said Anthony Rae, coordinator of the Calderdale branch.
The apes are at risk because rainforests in South East Asia are being destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations, which produce an oil found in one in ten supermarket products.
“Recent research published by Friends of the Earth shows that almost 90 per cent of orangutan habitat had now disappeared, with the orangutan population falling by 50 per cent in the last 15 years.
“If current trends continue the orangutan will be extinct within 12 years.
“Ninety per cent of the world’s palm oil exports come from plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia, the home of the orangutan,” said Mr Rae.
Friends of the Earth are calling for a halt to the destruction of rainforest by asking supermarkets to source their palm oil responsibly. They are also asking MPs to support new legislation that would help stop supermarkets buying products from destructive sources. Customers are being asked to lobby their supermarkets and their local MPs.
“We are really pleased by the response of Calderdale’s two members of Parliament: Linda Riordan MP who joined us outside Tesco’s and promised active support for the campaign in the future in Parliament, and Chris McCafferty MP who sent us a strong statement of support,” he added.
