Target: Burger King CEO, Daniel S. Schwartz
Goal: Grow oil palms in a sustainable manner that doesn’t clear existing forests and doesn’t disturb peatlands.
Burger King is the third-largest fast food company in the world and it continues to source palm oil, in massive quantities, linked to the destruction of forests and climate. Palm oil is a driver of deforestation and climate change, but that can be changed. Palm oil doesn’t require forest elimination in order to be grown. Deforested land is driving numerous species into extinction as their habitat is destroyed in favor of plantations totally dedicated to growing oil palms, but it’s unnecessary. Similarly, peat soils release enormous quantities of stored carbon when swampy peatlands are cleared and drained. However, this is equally unnecessary because palm oil can be grown in mineral soils instead of peat. At the same time, crop yields can be increased to lessen the need for expanding plantations. Oil palms can be grown in a sustainable manner.
For many farmers in Central America, Central/West Africa and South East Asia, palm oil is a basic source of income and heavily favored for cooking. It’s also exported around the world in thousands of products, from food to biofuel. Palm oil dominates all vegetable oil production globally as 38% of the world’s oil. However, monoculture plantations, growing only palm oil, are getting a lot of attention for their negative effect on the environment. This includes deforestation and disruption of local populations of humans and animals.
Many threatened species, including primates that live in rain-forests, have had their numbers seriously reduced when forests are cleared for palm oil plantations. When these animals wander into plantations they are regularly killed, but all of this is avoidable. Many companies like Dunkin’ Donuts, Nestlé, Subway, Kellogg’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Quaker, Pilsbury, Proctor & Gamble, Colgate and others have made a commitment not to source unsustainable palm oil.
Tell Burger King to make a commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil. It’s good for the environment and it’s great for public relations because it’s what people want. Tell Burger King’s CEO that sales will likely increase at news that Burger King is a responsible corporate player in the world.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear CEO Schwartz,
You’re a relatively young man and have a lot to lose from climate change. Despite that, you still purchase palm oil linked to deforestation, population disruption and climate change when it doesn’t have to be this way. Palm oil can be grown in mineral soils instead of peat, which releases great quantities of stored carbon when swampy peatlands are cleared and drained.
Many threatened species, including primates that live in rainforests, have had their numbers seriously reduced when forests are cleared for palm oil plantations and when these animals wander into plantations they are regularly killed. The Orangutan, a close relative of humans, is threatened with extinction for precisely this reason. Again, it doesn’t have to be this way because palm oil can be grown in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Source sustainable palm oil for Burger King and you could make a real difference in the world.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: David Gilbert/Rainforest Action Network
PÉTITION SIGNÉE PARTAGEE SIGNED SHARED FRIMA
Burger King sucks and they need to shut all of there doors.
GET REAL THE RAIN FOREST DOES NOT BELONG TO BURGER KING FOR CHRIST SAKE, GO TO THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS, BOYCOTT ALL BURGER KING RESTAURANTS OUR WORLD IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A BLOODY BURGER, STOP THESE GREEDY B…..DS FORM DECIMATING THE WORLDS RAIN FORESTS…..WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL GOVERNMENTS THIS PRACTICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED YEARS AGO.
This is SO irreponsible and exzudes so much Greed to overlook what they are doing to OUR planet. We need to get the word out about Burger King and others that are RAPING this planet and are getting away with it…. All the for Mighty dollar. Where is the integrity? I won’t buy there and will pass the word along as everyone should. Why isn’t this stuff in the mainstream news?? People need to be AWARE
Disgusting.
What, just Burger King?????
Nearly every product has palm oil in it – Flora margarine under ‘vegetable oils’. Even Dove hand/face soap. There’s no getting away from it.
Dear Bina –
It’s worth a try …….. I will always be optimistic – that gives things a chance . Thank you !
CMT
Dear CEO Schwartz,
You’re a relatively young man and have a lot to lose from climate change. Despite that, you still purchase palm oil linked to deforestation, population disruption and climate change when it doesn’t have to be this way. Palm oil can be grown in mineral soils instead of peat, which releases great quantities of stored carbon when swampy peatlands are cleared and drained.
Many threatened species, including primates that live in rainforests, have had their numbers seriously reduced when forests are cleared for palm oil plantations and when these animals wander into plantations they are regularly killed. The Orangutan, a close relative of humans, is threatened with extinction for precisely this reason. Again, it doesn’t have to be this way because palm oil can be grown in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Source sustainable palm oil for Burger King and you could make a real difference in the world.
Sincerely,
Christina M. T.
Maybe we should not buy and eat anything with palmoil in it ……. and prepare our own food instead eating precooked stuff .
Christina M. T.
You should. I did not realize how many products they had put palm oil (saturated fat) into under the guise of being a polyunsaturated fat. Since removing it from my diet I am losing weight without a drastic change of the foods I eat. I still eat biscuits etc but without the dirty fat. 🙂
This is wrong and unacceptable. Rainforests play important roles in our ecosystems. No fast food chain should be causing destruction or using unsustainable palm oil that is harmful to the environment
Think in Australia they are called Hungry Jacks.
Establish an “Endangered Ecosystem Act” for oldgrowth woodlands/rainforest, wild meadows, wetlands, ect…, like that for endangered species that will not only permanently protect iconic species but also provide sanctuary to all biodiversity of life, both flora and fauna that depend on those natural environments to survive. This is the precipice of priority, not only to the survival of our species, but all life on earth.
Meat burgers mean suffering animals, destroyed environment and owerveight people 🙁