12 images Created 11 Jun 2021
Palm Oil
As the world’s rapidly expanding economies increase their consumption of processed foods, they are creating an explosive demand for palm oil. It is an inexpensive component in a wide variety of processed foods, such as margarine, potato chips, baby formula, cookies, and chocolate. Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil grower, has increased production by 700% over the last twenty years, which has resulted in large-scale clear-cutting of tropical rainforest. Although the destruction of rainforest for palm oil plantations is illegal in Indonesia, the practice continues to expand and threatens diminishing populations of forest elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans. George spent three weeks on assignment for Vogue in Sumatra and Malaysia looking at palm oil production, illegal deforestation, and wildlife rehabilitation.
