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| Symbol of the Olympic Games.© istock |
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Food/Merchandise Tips for Summer Games
Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States have created a list of do's and don'ts for those traveling to China, where some tourist souvenirs and meals involve cruelty to animals.
Teresa Telecky, Ph.D., policy director for Humane Society International, offers the following tips to help those wishing to make animal-friendly decisions while in China:
Don't buy ivory. During a recent trip to China, Telecky saw ivory for sale widely, even in hotel gift shops. China is the main destination for ivory from poached elephants. Although it is legal to sell ivory in China, it is
illegal to bring ivory back into the United States, for example.
Don't buy items made of or trimmed in fur or leather. Wild animals as well as dogs and cats are killed for their fur in China. The methods of killing the animals include skinning the animals while they are still alive. Telecky saw cat trinkets covered in real cat fur.
Don't order shark fin soup. Sharks are in decline worldwide, largely because of the demand for their fins. Shark fins are cut off and the sharks are thrown back overboard to die.
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Ivory carving.© Carrie Winegarden/istock |
Do be mindful of what else you eat and drink. Officials have banned dog meat from the menus during the Olympics, but it is still a thriving trade at other times. Other opportunities for adventurous eating abound in China, but diners are often unaware of the impact their food choices have. Massive numbers of snakes, turtles and small mammals are captured in other Asian countries and transported alive under cruel conditions to China, decimating wild populations. Bird's nest soup, another delicacy, is made of swiftlet nests. Removing the nests from the wild deprives birds of places to breed.
Do eat (cooked) vegetables to be safe. Many restaurants in China serve vegetarian dishes like "stir fried vegetables," "mixed vegetables," "vegetables with fried tofu or regular tofu," "pickled vegetables with beans," and "mushroom with vegetables," etc.
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| Bear bile wine.© Teresa Telecky/HSI |
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Do learn a phrase or two. The phrase "wo chi su" (I am vegetarian) may be interpreted as "I want to eat vegetables" rather than being vegetarian. You will be served a plate of green vegetables and rice. The phrase "quan su" means vegetarian in the Chinese Buddhist tradition, which prohibits eating onions and garlic.
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| Empty bottle of tiger bone wine.© Teresa Telecky/HSI |
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Do be careful about pharmacy purchases. Traditional Chinese medicines may contain parts of endangered animals, which are believed to have potent healing properties. Demand for these products has pushed rhinos and
tigers to the edge of extinction. In China, endangered Asiatic black bears are trapped and kept in small cages so their bile can be extracted.
Don't buy items made of wood. China is one of the biggest importers of tropical timber. This timber comes from trees cut down in other parts of Asia, such as Indonesia, which destroys orangutan habitat.
Do purchase official Olympic souvenirs or handicrafts that are not made from animals or wild plants. Chinese merchants carry ornate, metal objects (jewelry, vases, etc.), rock carvings of people and animals, objects made from beautifully woven cloth (purses, scarves, shirts, ties, etc.), tea, pottery and hand-made papers.
