RVs shouldn’t kill orangutans

Mighty Earth reports that major US RV manufacturers (Winnebago, Thor, Forest River) source meranti plywood from Mayawana Persada in Borneo, Indonesia. This sourcing is linked to the destruction of 40,000 hectares of carbon-rich peatlands, which have become highly susceptible to wildfires during the 'Godzilla El Niño', resulting in orangutan deaths. The organization is campaigning for the industry to switch to FSC-certified wood or low-footprint composites.

• The US recreational vehicle (RV) industry is the largest consumer of tropical wood in the United States, and the US is the largest importer of tropical wood from Indonesia, with RV structures consisting almost entirely of tropical hardwood.
• Mighty Earth identified a case of deforestation involving 40,000 hectares of carbon-rich peatlands and orangutan habitat on the island of Borneo, attributed to the company Mayawana Persada, whose meranti (Lauan) wood is exported to California for RV manufacturing.
• The 'Godzilla El Niño' has increased the vulnerability of previously deforested peatlands, such as those managed by Mayawana Persada, to fires, leading to smoke inhalation deaths of orangutans and the displacement of wildlife into farmland.
• Mighty Earth is urging major RV companies based in Elkhart, Indiana—specifically Winnebago, Thor, and Forest River—to adopt Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood or composite alternatives, though the companies have largely remained silent.

APA

Hurowitz, G. (2026). RVs shouldn’t kill orangutans. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-rvs-shouldnt-kill-orangutans/

Chicago

Hurowitz, Glenn. RVs shouldn’t kill orangutans. Mighty Earth, 2026. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-rvs-shouldnt-kill-orangutans/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hurowitz |first1=Glenn |title=RVs shouldn’t kill orangutans |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=5 September 2026 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-rvs-shouldnt-kill-orangutans/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hurowitz2026rvs, author = {Hurowitz, Glenn}, title = {{RVs shouldn’t kill orangutans}}, publisher = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2026}, month = sep, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-rvs-shouldnt-kill-orangutans/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }