Proctor & Gamble accused of Indonesian rainforest destruction

This video says about itself:

GREEN (Palm Oil Deforestation) – Documentary by Patrick Rouxel

19 May 2011

Documentary on the Indonesian rainforest, deforestation and orangutan extinction.

It is a silent film (without narration, but with music) which addresses itself both to the Indonesians and the consumers of wood/paper/palm oil around the world.

This important documentary was filmed in the fast disappearing Indonesian rainforest and is not narrated, however, its message is clear and frightening. The home of the Orangutan and many other wildlife species in Indonesia is being decimated at an alarming rate by consumer need and greed.

The film features the widespread practice of ‘slash and burn’ to clear the lush rainforest to make way for extensive palm oil plantations which we, the consumer, support in our demand for our favourite foods, magazines, cosmetics, and, increasingly, biofuel. The practice has also seen Indonesia move into third place behind the US and China with regard to carbon emissions due to the uncovering of peat soil which has lain, undisturbed, below the tropical rainforest for centuries. The film exposes the illegal pet trade that thrives in Indonesia and the sick, despairing lives of those Orangutan who spend years, often all their lives, locked in small cages, suffering, alone.

The story thread follows the fate of a female Orangutan who has been captured and brought in because her forest home has been decimated. She is one of the lucky ones — most are slaughtered without mercy when caught. Her fate though, is not a happy one, as her trauma at the hands of man is too great. Your heart will break with resounding pity, but it is even more sobering to know that she is only one of hundreds every week who will suffer a similar fate.

Make sure everyone you know watches this documentary. We owe it to our friends, the gentle Orangutan, we owe it to our planet, and we owe it to ourselves so that we can learn from it.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Proctor & Gamble ‘linked to rainforest destruction‘

Wednesday 26th February 2014

Maker of Pantene shampoo sources palm oil from suppliers linked to destroyed woodland and forest fires in Indonesia

Environmentalists accused US household products giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) yesterday of being responsible for the destruction of swathes of Indonesian rainforest.

Greenpeace said the company was using palm oil from suppliers linked to the destruction of the ancient woodlands.

It linked a Malaysian supplier to P&G with highly polluting forest fires in Sumatra last June.

P&G is the latest company to be targeted by Greenpeace as the group seeks to embarrass major firms over sourcing Indonesian palm oil and paper from suppliers that cause environmental destruction.

Greenpeace says the expansion of palm oil plantations is destroying the habitat of endangered orangutans and tigers.

P&G uses palm oil in household products including Head & Shoulders and Pantene shampoos and Gillette shaving gel.

“The maker of Head & Shoulders needs to stop bringing rainforest destruction into our showers,” said Greenpeace forest campaign head Bustar Maitar.

“It must clean up its act and guarantee to its customers that these products are forest-friendly.”

P&G was not immediately available for comment yesterday.

Greenpeace urged P&G to join other leading companies which have committed to implementing a no-deforestation policy.

Greenpeace’s campaigns have caused several global companies, including Unilever, Nestle and L’Oreal, to publicly commit to zero deforestation in coming years.

Many palm oil and paper companies have made such commitments after losing major clients because of Greenpeace campaigns.

Illegal logging and poor law enforcement have meant that deforestation is rampant in Indonesia.