Cape May Court House in Middle Township in Cape May County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Palm Oil Crisis
What: Palm oil is a form of vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. It is the most widely produced edible oil with over 44 metric tons produced annually. Palm oil can be found in products that you eat and use everyday, including many foods, cosmetics and toiletries.
Why is it important:
Demand for Palm oil is skyrocketing! Thousands of acres of Rainforest are being destroyed to create Palm Oil Plantations.
Most Palm oils are grown on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the only place in the world Orangutans live! After harvesting Rainforest trees for tropical timber, Palm oil companies often use controlled burn to clear the land for Palm oil plantations.
In 1998, one of these fires killed 8000 Orangutans and tens of thousands of other native fauna in Borneo. Rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra are also home to Endangered Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, and literally thousands of Birds, Amphibians and Reptiles.
What can you do:
• Palm oil can be grown in a sustainable way.
• Read the ingredients on your food, cosmetics and bath products, how many contain palm oil?
• Demand Certified Sustainable Palm Oil & Product Labeling.
• Download a Shopping app from our friends at theCheyenne Mountain Zoo, a fellow AZA facility leading the way on this important issue.
Click or scan to see
this page online
• Only buy products from companies that use certified sustainable Palm oil.
Erected by Cape May County Zoo.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources. A significant historical year for this entry is 1998.
Location. 39° 6.196′ N, 74° 48.909′ W. Marker is in Middle Township, New Jersey, in Cape May County. It is in Cape May Court House. Marker can be reached from County Park Road, 0.2 miles west of North Main Street (U.S. 9), in the median. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 707 N Main St, Cape May Court House NJ 08210, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mara's Journey (within shouting distance of this marker); Bongo Repatriation Project (within shouting distance of this marker); De Brazza's Monkey (within shouting distance of this marker); Numar (within shouting distance of this marker); Why are there fewer bees? / How you can help / The benefits of honey (within shouting distance of this marker); Bald Eagle (within shouting distance of this marker); Why are there fewer bees?
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 25, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
