3 ms·

If I had the wealth some people have in the Bay Area, I wouldn't be throwing money away at just making more money; the money would be funding legitimate wildli

If I had the wealth some people have in the Bay Area, I wouldn't be throwing money away at just making more money; the money would be funding legitimate wildlife preserves in Africa, and elsewhere. I know the world has many problems, but this is a problem that should be fixed--now.

bequanna 12y ago
I don't think this is a problem with supply, this is a problem with demand. The solution is to (somehow) eliminate the demand for ivory with strict laws/punishments.
- deciplex 12y ago
  I'm all for using what amounts to military tactics against poachers, but that alone is probably not going to solve the problem - there is simply too much money to be made. It reminds me of the drug trade, really, and while with drugs we can mostly solve the problem through legalization, that's not really an option here. Which is why I think this article is somewhat misguided. There is only so much Africa can do, and that's even assuming plentiful resources and political will to do it, which might be a mistaken assumption. The demand problem needs to be solved, and only China can accomplish that. This article seems to be giving them a pass, and that's wrong. For example, I would like to know more about this "ivory spending spree" in Tanzania. Regardless of whether it was lower-level officials getting "out of control", what was the official response? Unless it was a harsh one, I'm afraid the question of whether they were following the orders of their superiors is not very relevant - the result will be the same either way, which is that ivory consumption by Chinese will be seen as socially, legally, and politically acceptable.
frozenport 12y ago
>>the money would be funding legitimate wildlife preserves in Africa, and elsewhere Why not give that money to starving people?

3 ms·

If I had the wealth some people have in the Bay Area, I wouldn't be throwing money away at just making more money; the money would be funding legitimate wildli

by marincounty 12y ago

bequanna 12y ago
I don't think this is a problem with supply, this is a problem with demand. The solution is to (somehow) eliminate the demand for ivory with strict laws/punishments.
- deciplex 12y ago
  I'm all for using what amounts to military tactics against poachers, but that alone is probably not going to solve the problem - there is simply too much money to be made. It reminds me of the drug trade, really, and while with drugs we can mostly solve the problem through legalization, that's not really an option here. Which is why I think this article is somewhat misguided. There is only so much Africa can do, and that's even assuming plentiful resources and political will to do it, which might be a mistaken assumption. The demand problem needs to be solved, and only China can accomplish that. This article seems to be giving them a pass, and that's wrong. For example, I would like to know more about this "ivory spending spree" in Tanzania. Regardless of whether it was lower-level officials getting "out of control", what was the official response? Unless it was a harsh one, I'm afraid the question of whether they were following the orders of their superiors is not very relevant - the result will be the same either way, which is that ivory consumption by Chinese will be seen as socially, legally, and politically acceptable.
frozenport 12y ago
>>the money would be funding legitimate wildlife preserves in Africa, and elsewhere Why not give that money to starving people?