Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
1–10 of 42 posts
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#2You guys should consider donating to the International Anti-Poaching Foundation[0][1] which fights these poachers. The founder, Damien Mander[2], is an Australian ex spec-ops sniper who is using his military experience to train the park rangers since they, unlike the poachers, tend to be poorly equipped and trained as well as understaffed.
There is also the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust[3][4] which takes care of elephant and rhino orphans (most of them are orphans due to poaching). For $50 a year, you can become a sponsor of a particular animal and they'll send you photos and updates about how your sponsored animal is doing. You can for example sponsor this little fella [5][6].
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Anti-Poaching_Fou...
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Mander
[3] http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sheldrick_Wildlife_Trust
[5] http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphan_profile.asp...
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#3So happy to see Yao using his influence for good. I think Chinese consumption of shark fin and ivory are more habits than desire. Habits can change through education.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#4I've long thought that one of the highest impact things scientists and engineers could be working on is developing a form of ivory that is indistinguishable from real thing to collapse the market. It seems like it should be feasible.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#5Generating awareness is the first step to take in helping solve this issue (and a very difficult step at that). Good for Yao Ming!
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#6I've long thought that one of the highest impact things scientists and engineers could be working on is developing a form of ivory that is indistinguishable from real thing to collapse the market. It seems like it should be feasible.
I doubt it. Look at pearls or diamonds.
The sort of people who will pay extra for brand new ivory aren't going to bought off with fake ivory.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#7I've long thought that one of the highest impact things scientists and engineers could be working on is developing a form of ivory that is indistinguishable from real thing to collapse the market. It seems like it should be feasible.
I doubt it. Look at pearls or diamonds. The sort of people who will pay extra for brand new ivory aren't going to bought off with fake ivory.
[deleted]
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#8I've long thought that one of the highest impact things scientists and engineers could be working on is developing a form of ivory that is indistinguishable from real thing to collapse the market. It seems like it should be feasible.
I doubt it. Look at pearls or diamonds. The sort of people who will pay extra for brand new ivory aren't going to bought off with fake ivory.
Fake pearls are distinguishable, and I don't know much about the state of lab-grown diamonds.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
I doubt it. Look at pearls or diamonds. The sort of people who will pay extra for brand new ivory aren't going to bought off with fake ivory.
Fake pearls are distinguishable, and I don't know much about the state of lab-grown diamonds.
Lab grown diamonds are superior.
From 11 years ago: http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/diamond.html
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#10I've long thought that one of the highest impact things scientists and engineers could be working on is developing a form of ivory that is indistinguishable from real thing to collapse the market. It seems like it should be feasible.
People will always figure out ways to distinguish one thing from another, if that's what they choose to do. It's not just a technical problem, it's a social one.
We have to make it clear it is not okay to regard ivory hacked from the face of an elephant as better than a synthetic polymer. To regard diamonds scrabbled over the blood of Africans as better than their synthetic equivalents. To regard the flesh of tortured chickens as better than synthetic meat replacements.
And this can be done. There is now a consensus that it's not okay to regard the fur of tortured animals as better than synthetic fabrics. Sometimes there is actually such a thing as social progress.