Believe it or not, buying certain Halloween candies can help--or hurt-- the rainforest. That’s why this year, the Dallas Zoo is encouraging folks to buy candies made with sustainably grown palm oil.
"Palm oil is just like any other vegetable oil," says Kari Streiber, with the Dallas Zoo. "It's found in just about 50 percent of the products you would buy at the grocery store, but candy is one of the things it's used in making. Especially right now at Halloween, it's important to check those labels and make sure you're supporting those companies that are using that certified sustainable palm oil in the making of the candy."
Fortunately, quite a few big name brands have gotten onboard and started using sustainably grown palm oil, including:
- Hershey's
- Kit Kat
- Jolly Ranchers
- Skittles
- Snickers
- Sour Patch Kids
Streiber says little choices like these make a huge difference.
"The rainforest is good for all of us, so we need [it] to stay in place," Streiber says. "It's all about those decisions we can make, small things we can do in our every day lives. Exactly like choosing a Halloween candy."
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