Palm Oil
I just read an article online about the destruction of remote rainforests in Sumatra to meet our demand for palm oil , an ingredient in many foods, soaps and cosmetics, according to Rainforest Action Network . The rainforests being destroyed for palm oil are home to rare orangutans, but that is just one of the most charismatic of thousands of species that are being displaced. I have never seen an orangutan in the wild (and I have never been to Sumatra), but it's deeply troubling to think that such a wild and beautiful place is being destroyed to feed mindless consumption. But then again, we destroy mountains in West Virginia for coal, and deserts for solar. We can rationalize or tolerate so much destruction until we are faced with the consequences. And since our consumption draws on resources so far away, it is too easy to ignore the true costs. Consider Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) recent announcement that it signed contracts to purchase solar e