How to Help Save Orangutans

Orangutans are truly majestic animals that make their homes in the rainforest canopies over Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, and Sumatra. Unfortunately, these animals are critically endangered. After years of deforestation and rainforest destruction, there are only about 100,000 orangutans left in the wild.^[1] Saving these animals requires help from all of us. Luckily, there is a lot you can do! By donating to conservation causes, making responsible shopping choices that protect the environment, and spreading an environmental message, you can do your part to make sure orangutans are always here with us.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Donations and Volunteer Work

1. Donate to the Great Ape Conservation Fund. This is a fund supported by the US government that provides money for organizations in countries around the world fighting to protect apes and orangutans. Through all of its efforts, this fund has sent over $10 million to conservation efforts. A donation here will definitely go a long way to help orangutans.^[2]
   
   • To learn more about donating to the Great Ape Conservation, visit https://www.fws.gov/international/wildlife-without-borders/great-ape-conservation-fund.html.
2. Buy Vanishing Species Stamps to fund wildlife protection projects. Vanishing Species Stamps are produced by the US government.^[3] Specifically, the Tiger stamp contributes funds to efforts to protect orangutans. By buying these stamps from the Post Office or US Fish and Wildlife Services, you'll be supporting these important conservation projects.^[4]
   
   • Vanishing Species Stamps have most recently provided funds for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. This organization cares for orphaned orangutans and introduces them back into the wild.
3. Support conservation organizations that fight to protect orangutans. There are tons of organizations throughout the world that make protecting orangutans and other wildlife their main priority. This work is expensive, so making donations can go a very long way.^[5]
   
   • Organizations that partner with Great Ape Conservation Fund include the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, the PanEco Foundation, and the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project. A donation to any of these groups will help orangutan conservation efforts.
4. Volunteer with environmental organizations. In addition to sending money, you could also volunteer your time with all of these organizations. Most of them have volunteer or internship programs if you want to get involved in a more active role. To learn more about volunteering, visit the website for an organization you’d like to work with and check their “Get Involved” or “Volunteer” section for details.^[6]
   
   • Volunteer work ranges from helping raise funds, organizing events, and mailing out promotional materials.

[Edit]Responsible Shopping

1. Buy FSC-approved wood and paper products. The FSC, or Forest Stewardship Council, is an international organization that monitors sustainability practices and production. If a product has the FSC stamp on it, that means it was produced using approved, sustainable methods. Switching to wood and paper products with the FSC stamp gives money to responsible companies that take environmentalism seriously.^[7]
   
   • Some brands that the FSC approves include Patagonia, Charmin, Scott, Sketchers, and Kleenex.
   • For the FSC's full approved shopping list, visit https://advocate.us.fsc.org/one-simple-action/.
   • On the other hand, following this practice keeps money away from irresponsible companies. This could convince them to be more responsible in the future.
2. Use products made with sustainably-produced palm oil. Palm oil production is one of the main industries that’s destroying orangutans’ habitat, and it’s used in tons of different products. If you use anything that uses palm oil as an ingredient, investigate that company to see if their practices meet sustainability standards. If not, switch to a different brand or product.^[8]
   
   • One organization that investigates and grades the palm oil industry is the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, or RSPO. If a product is approved by this organization, then you can trust that it’s produced with environmentally-friendly methods.^[9]
   • For a list of RSPO-approved products, visit https://rspo.org/members/trademark/trademark-products-gallery.
   • You could also try to cut down on the amount of products you use with palm oil overall, but this can be tricky. Palm oil could also be labeled as vegetable oil, palmate, palmitate, and a number of different names, so it’s tough to know which products contain it and which don’t.
3. Get reusable cups, mugs, thermoses, and plates to reduce pollution. Disposable products need to be built constantly, and this contribute to pollution and deforestation. Since deforestation is one of the main threats to orangutans, one of the best things to do is switch to reusable items instead of disposable ones. This cuts down on landfill space, pollution, and deforestation, which helps the environments that orangutans live in.^[10]
   
   • Encourage all of your friends and family to do the same. If everyone makes this simple change, the benefits for the environment could be huge.
4. Encourage the brands you use to follow sustainable practices. All large businesses could potentially be doing things that harm the environment, including cutting down rainforests or using products that weren't produced sustainably. Investigate all of the brands you usually purchase, and see if their production methods meet environmental standards. If not, contact those brands and make your opinions known. Say that you’ll start buying a different product if they don’t change their practices.^[11]
   
   • Remember to look at where companies source their materials from as well. A company might not use destructive productive methods, but they might buy lumber from a company that’s cutting rainforests down, meaning they’re indirectly encouraging environmental destruction.
   • If these brands don’t make the changes you want to see, then stop buying them. Encourage others to do the same to pressure companies to change their practices.

[Edit]Encouraging Change

1. Tell your friends and family to get involved or donate. A lot of people might not even be aware of how their choices affect orangutans and how much they could help with some simple changes. Talk about your effort to help orangutans with them and encourage them to volunteer, donate, or change their shopping practices to do their part too.^[12]
   
   • You could also share information with them about how certain companies are using unsustainable practices that are destroying the environment.
   • Some people might not take this as seriously as you do. It’s best to share all the information you can and then let them make their own choices.
2. Share news about orangutans and environmentalism on social media. This is a very powerful tool for spreading messages, and you can use it to raise awareness about helping orangutans. Post and share news about orangutans and environmental protection. You might even be able to convince some people to join the cause!^[13]
   
   • Try to post on a few different social media platforms. Your messages will spread a lot further.
3. Support politicians who make environmental protection a priority. Environmental protection is inherently a political question. No matter where you live, support politicians and policies that advocate sustainable practices and environmental regulations. Your votes and advocacy could really make a difference if you help elect leaders that will prioritize the environment.^[14]
   
   • Some politicians might not support environmental practices without a little push, so try to gather support and get others to contact their representatives too. This can really build a movement.
   • If none of your elected leaders are taking the steps you want them to, why not run for office yourself? This is the best way to advance your goal!

[Edit]Tips

• If you want more ideas on how to help orangutans, you could always contact a group like the WWF or Orangutan Foundation and ask. They would be very happy to help you.
• Be prepared—some people simply won’t take environmental protection as seriously as you do. In this case, just keep doing what you’re doing and making a difference any way you can.

[Edit]Warnings

• Never try to adopt or keep a wild animal yourself. Even if you're just trying to help, this is dangerous for both you and the animal.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/orangutan
2. ↑ https://www.fws.gov/international/wildlife-without-borders/great-ape-conservation-fund.html
3. ↑ https://www.fws.gov/international/articles/5-projects-supporting-orangutan-conservation.html
4. ↑ https://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2018/3/28/Bringing-Back-Borneos-Orangutans
5. ↑ https://www.fws.gov/international/articles/5-projects-supporting-orangutan-conservation.html
6. ↑ https://www.orangutan.org.au/get-involved/volunteer/
7. ↑ https://us.fsc.org/en-us/market/find-products
8. ↑ https://www.fws.gov/international/articles/5-projects-supporting-orangutan-conservation.html
9. ↑ https://rspo.org/about
10. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/frequent-questions-about-sustainable-marketplace-and-green-products
11. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/frequent-questions-about-sustainable-marketplace-and-green-products
12. ↑ https://healthinharmony.org/2016/11/11/why-orangutans-are-going-extinct-how-to-stop-it/
13. ↑ https://www.wwf.org.uk/thingsyoucando
14. ↑ https://www.wwf.org.uk/thingsyoucando