I'm back. After a two month hiatus from posting due to the grand opening of Bullitt, my second bar in San Francisco, I have finally adjusted my schedule to accommodate posting, and I'm pumped.
First on my list: I have been looking for years for the best endangered species group to put my support behind. I think I've found it, WildAid. Do you know about them? If you live in Asia, then you have. If you live in the states, then maybe not. WildAid is, in my mind, the most badass endangered species preservation group in the world today. Started by wildlife investigators who were fed up with busting smuggling rings only to see the criminals walk free without prosecution, the group has evolved. Now not only do they work closely with governments to ensure bad guys are prosecuted for buying, selling, and moving endangered species animals and parts across borders, but they also have focused on quelling the demand for endangered species.
How, you ask? Only by securing over 180 million dollars of free media in Asia and enlisting some of Asia's biggest celebrities to kindly remind their country-people that ingesting, say, ground up tiger penis is tantamount to killing a beautiful, endangered tiger yourself.
We have no idea what this billboard says, but obviously it is yielding results.
Wildaid is currently working hundreds of celebrities in the U.S., China, India, and other Asian countries. Jackie Chan is spearheading the tiger issue and Yao Ming (among others) is helping to stop the Chinese huge demand for shark fin soup. Here's an English version of one of their...
...ads, airing nonstop in China as I write:
WildAid has such close ties with the Chinese government that they secured a thousand billboards in Beijing and Shanghai in high traffic areas for only $100 for three months. Right now you can donate $100 to WildAid and literally personally fund an anti-shark fin soup billboard with Yao Ming on it. Now that's bang for your buck.
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with WildAid recently, as it is based in San Francisco. I suggest all of our readers who care about endangered animals to check out www.wildaid.org, and learn more (I highly recommend their Galapagos program for representing badassity). We will be featuring stories and interviews with WildAid's founders in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned.
Comments
Now, that is effective, and inspiring. You guys are terrific for bringing this to light.
Posted by: Alice | February 3, 2010 9:27 PM
welcome back. I enjoyed the post
Posted by: Roly | February 4, 2010 2:09 AM
Great stuff, I think I will put a link to WildAid on my site www.TalkingNature.com. It's great to see another group out there trying to change attitudes. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Good luck with the bar. James
Posted by: James Webley | February 19, 2010 5:26 PM
research being done on tapeworms. The linked abstract below takes you into
Posted by: sikişme | March 20, 2010 2:37 PM
am doing is really something everyone should be aware as you wish
Posted by: TARIK | August 23, 2010 1:46 PM