I noticed an interesting article in the NY Times today - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/business/global/palm-oil-companies-slow-in-meeting-sustainability-goal.html
It discusses many of the topics we have touched upon this semester. It mentions how many multinational corporations have pledged to use oil only from sustainable forces by 2015, yet most are vastly behind this projection unfortunately. The article talks about in detail how heavily the world economy relies on palm oil production as an alternative fuel source. However, the way in which palm oil produced is damaging as millions of acres in land in Asia are being destroyed to make room for more palm oil plants. "The land clearing releases carbon dioxide and destroys habitats for endangered species like orangutans, which are often killed by plantation owners who view them as pests" the article stated. The article, to me, was a microcosm for many things we've learned this semester - we, as a nation, are trying to become more sustainable and green, yet continue falling short of our goals and have to push them back. Furthermore, even when we try to use sustainable resources, we find a way to screw something up and hurt the environment in the process.
By - Kyle Crowe
