Power to the rangas

By Emma Sun
A DANDENONG manufacturing company is contributing up to $150,000 towards helping Sumatran orang-utans at Melbourne Zoo and Indonesia.
Orange Power is donating the money over the next three years as part of orang-utan Menyaru’s eighth birthday celebrations.
The partnership will help Zoos Victoria fund conservation campaigns such as ‘Don’t Palm Us Off’, which calls for mandatory labelling of palm oil used as an ingredient in manufactured consumer products.
Rapid logging of rainforest to clear the way for planting palm trees for oil is killing the habitat of wildlife, and orang-utans are particularly at risk of going extinct.
Orange Power produces Planet Ark endorsed palm oil-free household cleaning products, which have the Good Environment Choice Australia tick of approval.
Managing director of Orange Power Iain Chaney said partnering with Melbourne Zoo was fantastic because both organisations shared a passion for the environment and wildlife.
“With a million-plus visitors each year, Melbourne Zoo is in a unique position to inform the community about the impact palm oil production is having on wildlife,” Mr Chaney said.
“Orange Power is committed to eradicating the use of palm oil in the home and giving consumers a green choice, so we fully support the work the zoo does.”
The company’s bottles have special tags to not only promote the partnership, but to highlight to people how choosing palm-oil free products can help wildlife.
Zoos Victoria conservation director Rachel Lowry is pleased with the partnership because being associated with Orange Power will increase awareness.
“We are confident that as community awareness of this issue increases, consumers will be keen to make wildlife-friendly choices in the supermarket,” Ms Lowry said.
“Mandatory labelling of palm oil will make it easier for us all to make informed choices.”
Zoos Victoria is a not-for-profit conservation organisation. For more information, visit www.zoo.org.au/palmoil