more on how to Remain Humane at the Olympics in China

[Guest guest]

>Wed, 6 Aug 2008 10:55:58 +0530

> " Nanditha krishna " <drnandithakrishna

>

>

>Having travelled fairly extensively in China, I would like to add

>the following:

>

>If you go to a pharmacy, be careful of local " Chinese medicine "

>items. They may include tiger parts, bear bile, snake flesh, etc.

>Chinese wine often contains snakes sealed live (of course they die,

>once drowned in a bottle of wine), or snake blood added to the wine.

>It is supposed to be good for rheumatism !

>Vegetables are boiled in water laced with lard. So, unless you see

>it boiling, don't eat your vegetables.

>Vegetarian food - including vegetable rice or noodles - means

>picking off the meat, fish, etc. Instead, order plain steamed rice.

>When in China, stick to American food - corn flakes, toast, steamed

>rice, fruits. It may be boring, but you can't go wrong !

>Don't eat crunchy-munchies unless it is labelled in English. It is

>often made with worms, snake parts, etc.

>And don't buy fur - real or false. False fur is often made from dog hair.

>After all this, do you still want to go to China?

>

>

>

>

>On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 7:52 AM, Kim Bartlett

><<anpeopleanpeople wrote:

>

>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

>

>Remain Humane at the Olympics in China

>Food/Merchandise Tips for Summer Games

>

>(July 31, 2008) - The Humane Society of the United States and its

>international arm Humane Society International has a list of do's and

>don'ts for those traveling to China, where tourist souvenirs and some

>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.

><<http://www.hsus.org/hsi/wildlife/dont_buy_wild/>http://www.hsus.org/hsi/wildl\

ife/dont_buy_wild/><http://www.hsus.org/hsi/wildlife/dont_buy_wild/>http://www.h\

sus.org/hsi/wildlife/dont_buy_wild/

>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.

><<http://www.hsus.org/furfree/dogs_cats/dog_and_cat_victims.html>http://www.hsu\

s.org/furfree/dogs_cats/dog_and_cat_victims.html><http://www.hsus.org/furfree/do\

gs_cats/dog_and_cat_victims.html>http://www.hsus.org/furfree/dogs_cats/dog_and_c\

at_victims.html

>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.

><<http://www.hsus.org/hsi/oceans/sharks/shark_finning/shark_finning_faq.html>ht\

tp://www.hsus.org/hsi/oceans/sharks/shark_finning/shark_finning_faq.html><http:/\

/www.hsus.org/hsi/oceans/sharks/shark_finning/shark_finning_faq.html>http://www.\

hsus.org/hsi/oceans/sharks/shark_finning/shark_finning_faq.html

>Do be mindful of what else you eat. 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 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.

>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.

>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.

>-30-

>Media Contact: Kristen Everett, 301-721-6440,

><<keverett%40humanesociety.org>keverett<mailto\

:keverett%40humanesociety.org>keverett

>Humane Society International is the international arm of The Humane

>Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection

>organization - backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30.

>For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the

>protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on

>programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty - On the web at

><<http://www.humanesociety.org/>http://www.humanesociety.org/><http://humanesoc\

iety.org/>humanesociety.org.

>Humane Society

>International

>2100 L Street,

>N.W.

>Washington, D.C.

>20037

><<http://www.humanesociety.org/>http://www.humanesociety.org/><http://hsihsus.o\

rg/>hsihsus.org

>Celebrating Animals, Confronting

>Cruelty

>

 

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