Elise Zarri
“I decided that I wanted to do something to help.”Student Proves that Youth Can Make a Difference
Elise received EPI’s Alumni Explorer Award in 2010 for initiating a citizen education campaign on the effects of palm oil harvesting in Borneo, which results in loss of habitat for endangered species like the orangutan, sun bear, and hornbill. After working with Leatherback sea turtles with EPI in Costa Rica, Zarri was inspired to make a difference. She developed the idea for this project after witnessing the effects of palm oil plantations on the local habitat during travels to Borneo. She realized many people were not aware of this issue, and decided to do something about it. Elise developed a information station at the Oakland Zoo to teach visitors about the issue, provide alternatives to products using palm oil, and implement a letter writing campaign to persuade companies using palm oil products to change their policies.