UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.It’s not.
(Dr. Seuss, The Lorax)
We know your scouts truly care a lot about the future of wildlife and the environment. Now here is your chance to take action by joining the Philadelphia Zoo’s “UNLESS contest” focused on saving endangered orangutans.
UNLESS Contest Overview
Imagine your scouts working directly with the Philadelphia Zoo to help save orangutans from extinction. Orangutans once ranged throughout much of Asia, but today are found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
The conversion of forest for agriculture and the growing threat of palm oil plantations are the two most pressing issues facing orangutans today. As a result of this, they have lost approximately 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years. There are approximately 55,000 orangutans remaining in Borneo and approximately 6,600 left in Sumatra. Experts estimate orangutans could be extinct in the wild in as few as 25 years.
UNLESS...your scouts become positive wildlife advocates for change! One of the major issues for orangutans is deforestation due to palm oil plantations. Palm oil happens to be a product ingredient found in everything from packaged goods to soap and cosmetics. Just as in the Lorax book, “A Thneed’s a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need,” palm oil is the present day version of a thneed. Palm oil is in ice cream. It’s in shampoo. It’s in chocolate. It’s in cookies too.
Most people aren’t aware of this, so the simple solution is to become a part of the UNLESS contest. This contest aims to raise awareness about the connection of palm oil to the survival of orangutans!
Contest Details
The contest is broken down by age group.
- Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts (Daisy, Brownie, Junior) will compete in an art contest where they can design the art work for a scout patch.
- Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (Cadette, Senior, Ambassador) will compete in a multimedia contest where they can create their own public service announcement.
Application deadline is December 1, 2011 and submissions are due January 31, 2012.