A new study by
the Netherlands-based
Wetlands International
found that at the rate
that peat swamp forests
in places like
Malaysian Borneo
are being obliterated
to make way for palm oil
plantations, the nation
may lose all of
these biodiverse forests
by the decade's end.
As companies that
formerly depleted
timber resources now
clear the rest of the trees
to develop profitable
palm oil plantations,
Malaysia and Indonesia
are the world's
two largest exporters of
the oil, which is largely
used for processed foods
and so-called
eco-friendly biofuel.
However, researchers
warn that
current growing practices
are far from sustainable.
As trees are removed
from the ancient
peat swamps,
not only is wildlife
severely affected,
massive carbon stores
are also released.
This effect can be
worsened if wildfires strike,
causing peat to smolder
underground, becoming
nearly impossible
to extinguish, with even
more increased emissions
of carbon dioxide
and methane gas
that had been stored
for millions of years.
The loss of the forest
habitats has further
deprived many already-
endangered species
including tropical birds,
as well as the clouded
leopard, Sumatran rhino,
and the world's
smallest elephant,
the Borneo Pygmy.
Also threatened
are indigenous
rainforest tribes.
Wetlands International
is thus calling for a
complete ban of peat land
conversion for crops,
urging companies instead
toward more truly
eco-friendly methods
and products.
We thank Wetlands
International for your
work in bringing us this
important information
about the adverse
consequences
of peat land clearing
to the environment.
May humanity work
quickly to save
the valued forests
and all precious lives
that they sustain.
Speaking during
an October 2009
videoconference
in Indonesia,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
warned of nature's
destruction for the
production of palm oil,
while offering
the most sustainable
actions needed
to restore the ecosystem.
In Indonesia,
your precious forests
are being cut down to
grow palm oil to be used
as biofuel energy, and
we thought that will help
to minimize the CO2.
We are wrong.
It's a failure, causing
more destruction and
more greenhouse gas
emissions than it saves.
In fact, it's releasing
the world's
third-largest amount of
carbon emissions,
because of biofuel.
You see,
the green technology
is not always reliable.
Actually, not all of this
palm oil product is used
as biofuel even.
Part of the palm oil
products goes to
make livestock feed.
Fortunately, we have the
solution ready at hand,
sir, which is the
organic vegan solution.
If we look into
all the scientific and the
physical evidence so far,
we have to accept this
organic vegan solution
as the one and only to
save our planet right now.
http://www.france24.com/en/20110201-malaysian-peatswamps-obliterated-palm-oil-studyhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/8295815/Malaysia-deforestation-Why-is-palm-oil-so-controversial.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/8296002/Malaysia-deforestation-Can-palm-oil-plantations-be-good-news.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/8296131/Rainforest-is-destroyed-for-palm-oil-plantations-on-Malaysias-island-state-of-Sarawak.html