It took merely two Caterpillar backhoes to strip these hills in Borneo in preparation for a palm tree farm. The palms will be harvested to produce the palm oil found in various cosmetics and dietary supplements. Although Borneo is known for its great biodiversity, palm tree farming is a lucrative market for islanders (whose national affiliations vary between Bruneian, Indonesian, and Malaysian) able to produce enough oil to satisfy the thirst of the Western cosmetic industry. The increase in logging over the most recent decades is not only detrimental to the island's wildlife, but it also contributes to global warming as large stores of carbon are released into the atmosphere when acres are burned.
via NGM.com
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