11 The problem with palm oil

THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL WHAT IS PALM OIL? Palm oil is a smooth, creamy oil made from the fruit of oil palm trees. It's used to manufacture countless useful products, but there is a huge downside to it. PLANTATIONS Oil palms are grown all over the world on huge farms called plantations. To create plantations, rainforests are cut down and replaced with nothing but oil palm trees, destroying the homes of precious animals in the process.

WHY WE NEED TO PROTECT RAINFORESTS As well as being home to thousands of plants and animals, rainforests also provide many things that help keep our planet healthy. Here are just a few of them: OXYGEN: Rainforests produce a huge amount of the oxygen we breathe. They're called "the lungs of the Earth." WATER SUPPLY: Trees help move water from the soil into the air, where it becomes rain and can help prevent droughts. MEDICINE: Many medicines are made from plants that only grow in rainforests. WHAT CAN WE DO? Palm oil is found in a huge number of products, from cooking oil and chocolate, to cleaning products and lipstick. By trying to buy products that are made with palm oil that is grown in a way that is kind to people, animals, and the environment, we can make a difference. More than 15 billion trees are cut down every year.