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Save the elephant campaigns by two Hong Kong teenagers draw praise from Chelsea Clinton in new book

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Two Hong Kong teenagers who took up the fight against ivory trading to save endangered elephants have been praised by Chelsea Clinton in a book by the former US president's daughter....

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Hong Kong schoolchildren are transforming attitudes about elephant ivory through small actions that are having a big impact.
Hong Kong is at the heart of the ivory black market. Its bustling ports are a major entry point for smuggled ivory shipped from Africa to Asia. In recent years officials have seized huge amounts of ivory: 3.4 tons in 2011, 5.6 tons in 2012, and about 7 tons in the first ten months of 2013.

Now, kids in Hong Kong are using school projects, letter-writing campaigns, petitions, and protests to educate their peers and parents about the true origins of decorative ivory. As a result, they're helping change habits and policies.

When Nellie Shute, a 12-year-old at the Hong Kong International School, read articles about the ivory confiscations, she was horrified by how many elephants must have been killed. She did a school project on it, and when she presented her work, her classmates too were shocked. They promised to tell their parents, many of whom owned things made with ivory.

"I knew I'd made a difference, even though it was only a small number of kids," Shute said. "And I knew I had to do more to spread the 'no to ivory' message."

So Shute contacted Elephant Voices, a Kenya-based NGO cofounded by Joyce Poole. When Elephant Voices shared her letter on their Facebook page, Shute was overwhelmed by the more than 600 people who commented and themselves shared it.

Determined to do more, she created and sold elephant gift cards, raising $250, which she donated for the care of an elephant orphan at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.
Education: The Wrong Kind
The Hong Kong government often displays confiscated ivory at schools and libraries for "educational" purposes. Yet Shute believes the displays are counterproductive.

"My school was given the tusks to educate students," she said. "But it wasn't doing that at all. Actually, it was reinforcing the idea that it's acceptable to display ivory as artwork. Kids were walking past and saying, 'Wow, that's so cool.' It wasn't cool at all. An elephant was killed and had its face ripped off so that those tusks could be there."

Shute wrote to her principal explaining how she felt. She was nervous but heartened by his response. He said the school hadn't thought about it that way and that she was right.

He agreed to send the ivory back to the government, and when it was returned last December, the shipment included a petition organized by Shute with more than 500 signatures from students and teachers explaining why the school didn't want the ivory and why the government should go a step further and destroy its entire ivory stockpile.
Christina Seigrist and Lucy Skrine
Christina Seigrist, a nine-year-old at the Chinese International School in Hong Kong, learned what was happening to elephants from her parents and their friends, who work in conservation.

She was encouraged to act by her school's theme, "Let's make the world a better place," and by her involvement in the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots program.

"I was really worried that if we don't do anything, I will not be able to see elephants in real life when I grow up," Seigrist said.

Seigrist's friend, Lucy Lan Skrine, an 11-year-old at the Independent Schools Foundation Academy, had watched a National Geographic documentary on rhino poaching and later discovered that elephants are poached too.

"This really angered me, having met an elephant up close in Thailand," Skrine said. "Knowing these friendly, harmless animals could be extinct made me want to help."

In September 2013 the two girls joined with Nellie Shute to form the Elephant Angels.

On January 22, the Elephant Angels delivered a petition to the Hong Kong government advocating destruction of its ivory stockpile. They had garnered more than 18,000 signatures, nearly double their goal of 10,000.

On January 23, the Hong Kong government announced its intention to destroy 95 percent (28 tons) of its almost 30-ton ivory stockpile. Slated for May 15, this will be the world's largest ivory destruction so far.

Overjoyed, the children sent handmade cards to officials with the words, "Thank you 11,000 times" (the number of dead elephants the stockpile represents).

"It's a way of putting their memory to rest," Shute said.

The angels didn't stop there.

"If the government is serious about saving elephants, they shouldn't allow shops to sell ivory at all, because that just encourages demand," Shute said.

Domestic legal ivory sales often provide a cover for illegal ivory. Undercover video footage released on February 12 showed staff at two Chinese Arts & Crafts (H.K.) Ltd. stores telling customers how to illegally smuggle ivory across borders. (A company spokesperson said its ivory crafts were sold legally under relevant laws and noted that Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department monitors local sales.)

On February 15 the angels staged a protest at one of the stores. Standing in front of a window display of a massive set of tusks, they handed out leaflets and talked to shoppers about the true source of the ivory.

"When we were protesting, people were wondering what was happening, and they stopped and read our posters," Seigrist said. "I speak Chinese, and I was able to talk to kids visiting from mainland China that elephants are killed for their ivory. It was shocking to find out that they thought the tusks just fall off the elephants. They were horrified and immediately told their parents right there not to buy the ivory."

She continued: "There was one old Chinese man on his bicycle. He was looking at the pictures of the killed elephants, then suddenly he fell off his bike and started crying and asking how could anyone do this to an animal. I was so sad to see him crying."

After the protest, the group received many interview requests.

"We were happy with these results because the news, radio, and TV stations have the power to teach more people about the cause," Skrine said.
More Students Join the Fight
On March 15, students at Clearwater Bay School organized their own protest.

Researching the illegal ivory trade for a school project, they'd interviewed Alex Hofford, cofounder of Hong Kong for Elephants and a consultant for WildAid. They'd also visited a Chinese Arts & Crafts store and were concerned about the ivory.

"I don't want to see any type of animal become extinct just because people want money," said Clearwater's Giacomo Faye. "I want the next generation of humans to see them up close and not on their iPad or TV."

Shortly after the protest, the company announced it had "suspended the business of selling ivory products at all [its] branches."

"It goes to show that the power of schoolkids protesting on their doorstep every month was not lost on Chinese Arts & Crafts," Hofford said.

The children were pleased with the result.

"It's one giant leap to stopping the ivory trade," Faye said.

"If it's not in the shops, people can't buy it," Shute added. "If they can't buy it, hopefully they will no longer want it."

The ivory suspension is a potent statement, but it will have little impact on the company's bottom line. Chinese Arts & Crafts represents a small part (perhaps 3 to 5 percent) of the sales of its parent company, China Resources Enterprise, whose core business is food and drinks. Furthermore, because the company sells ivory products on consignment, it can simply return them to the consignee.

Hong Kong's Elephant Angels are now set on winning a total ban on ivory sales. They've started another petition, which has already garnered thousands of signatures and are planning a protest, on May 14.

After they targeted the second largest ivory retailer in Hong Kong, Wing On Department Store, it announced today that, effective July 7, 2014, it would stop selling ivory. Now they have the third largest, Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium, in their sights.

Children around the world can lend their support to this cause, said Christina Seigrist. "I would ask them to share this with many of their friends, and also do a presentation at their school."

"Remember, this is our planet, and these are our animals," Skrine added. "It's up to this generation to save them before they die out."

"Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in," Shute advised. "If you do nothing, nothing will change. Our young voices can be very powerful, and people will listen. You just have to speak up!"
If you have stories of children taking action for elephants or other wildlife, please comment here or share on the author's Facebook site.

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In Hong Kong, Kids Take Action to Stop the Illegal Ivory Trade

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Hong Kong schoolchildren are transforming attitudes about elephant ivory through small actions that are having a big impact. Hong Kong is at the heart of the ivory black market. Its bustling ports are a major entry point for smuggled ivory shipped from Africa to Asia.

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Everyone agrees that culture is the hardest thing to change, whether ethics in the financial system or the eating habits of individuals. That's because change is not a decision like appointing a new CEO, nor is it an event like winning an election. Change is an ongoing campaign.

Even in a hierarchy, top officials can declare a new policy or restructure by fiat, but they can't change behavior without a campaign to win hearts and minds. If culture change is difficult within a company, it is even harder in looser systems such as communities and countries. In his book, All Deliberate Speed, Charles Ogletree examines the 50 years after the Supreme Court passed Brown v. Board of Education ordering the desegregation of U.S. public schools; yet decades later schools remain de facto segregated. If laws don't produce change, then leaders must become adept at campaigns to change behavior.

The best campaigns for change have five elements:

Memorable messages. Campaigns, like brand marketing, start with a clear, succinct, easy to repeat, emotionally compelling message. The designated driver campaign, spearheaded by Jay Winsten at the Harvard School of Public Health 21 years ago, reduced fatalities from drunk driving by 25% in its first four years alone using the slogan "The designated driver is the life of the party." The message plays off of "life of the party" to signify that the party will be fun, while reminding people that "life" depends on a driver who doesn't drink. Similarly, playful yet compelling images animate Dr. Hugo Tempelman's campaign to stop HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The campaign features billboards with a cartoon condom and slogans accompanied by a soccer ball that start with the line "Men with balls..." and complete the sentence with safe sex behavior.

Stories. Narrative is a powerful tool for campaigns. People remember other people and stories better than numbers. First Lady Michelle Obama is leading a campaign against obesity by getting Americans up and walking. Personal testimonials motivate people, particularly when they see that those they admire take new actions. For big media campaigns, celebrity stories catch attention. Actor Dennis Quaid, who almost lost his twin children to medical errors, stars in a made-for-TV movie about patient safety, Chasing Zero, produced by Dr. Charles Denham, a physician/entrepreneur and an Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard (a program I'm involved with). Chasing Zero has aired several times on the Discovery Channel and is the basis for a campaign aimed at hospital boards and community leaders.

Action tools and roles. In a successful campaign, there is a clear step anyone can take, without requiring elaborate new processes, even if more complex change is required eventually. A checklist for surgery is a simple, actionable tool, as Dr. Atul Gawande argues in his new book. The designated driver is a role that is immediately clear to everyone attending a party, and anyone can take it on. When IBM mounted a campaign to increase employee engagement in North America, the company created a new role, called "mayor," for neighborhood-based networks to build connections and community service, called "spirit communities."

Coalitions of partners. Change campaigns need many suppliers, distributors, and allies. The "100,000 Lives" campaign mounted by Dr. Donald Berwick at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), aimed at saving 100,000 lives lost annually to preventable medical errors. IHI mobilized 3000 hospitals to implement safer practices. Berwick (now nominee to head Medicare) later expanded this to a "5 Million Lives" campaign to reduce all forms of hospital-generated harm, adding more hospitals armed with more tools. In a different realm, NASA head Charles Bolden, a former Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow with Denham, caught the change campaign spirit. He recently launched NASA's "Summer of Innovation" in its first four states. This campaign enlists middle school students and teachers in efforts to improve STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math), using NASA scientific resources as a catalyst.

"Point of action" nudges. Popular media messages get generalized attention, just as commercials for products do, but like marketing campaigns that require point of sale support, successful behavior change campaigns need to place reminders at the point of action - the moment of truth when behavior is set in motion. For example, bars are naturals for designated driver or safe sex campaign materials. Hand-washing reminders and hand-sanitizers are now prevalent in restaurants and hospitals.

Campaigns for culture change flourish under experienced leaders in later stages of life ready to jump into making a big impact on society. This reasoning underlies the meta-campaign of the Advanced Leadership Fellowship: to deploy a leadership force of social change campaigners. We're seeking a few great leaders to join the movement and create the next designated driver, patient safety, or science education campaign. The results can improve competitiveness and save lives. That's a campaign worth undertaking.

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Five Tips for Leading Campaigns for Change

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Everyone agrees that culture is the hardest thing to change, whether ethics in the financial system or the eating habits of individuals. That's because change is not a decision like appointing a new CEO, nor is it an event like winning an election. Change is an ongoing campaign.

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Those committed to Mother Nature have been known to express their grievances with public happenings and large-scale art projects rather than anti-war style marches. We've compiled a slideshow with some of the best acts of civil disobedience committed in the name of the environment.

This Saturday over 4000 protests have been planed for the International Day of Climate Action. If you'll be attending one, send us your photos and video clips using the photo upload tool below and the video uploader at the bottom of the page.

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international day of environmental action

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The Outrageous History Of Environmental Protests (SLIDESHOW)

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Those committed to Mother Nature have been known to express their grievances with public happenings and large-scale art projects rather than anti-war style marches. We've compiled a slideshow with some of the best acts of civil disobedience committed in the name of the environment.

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Badges of wealth vary widely, from jewels to Rolex watches. In recent decades, however, there has come another one-ivory-which is regarded as both a symbol of status and a substance from which religious icons are made.

As a result, however, African elephants have been the victims of this outrageous trend.

I am Celia Ho, nicknamed 'The Elephant Girl' by Jane Goodall. I started to be interested in elephants when I first read the cover story " Blood Ivory " written by Bryan Christy in National Geographic. It inspired me a lot and I have also comprehended the troubles elephants are facing. For the sake of satisfying the limitless hunger of ivory collectors, at least 25,000 to 35,000 elephants are killed every year. Picture the scene. Smell the death. It's cruel and inhumane.

Not only elephants are suffering, but also humans. Some of the money made from selling ivory is then used to purchase weapons used in the continent's various conflicts. Besides, many courageous rangers are killed every year when defending elephants and rhinos. Too many lives have been paying for the ivory trade.

Elephants are important to forest regeneration and create habitats for many animals when they disperse seeds by eating fruit. Therefore, poaching elephants affects the eco-system.

These were why I started my campaign to help them get out of this inhuman trench and inspire others to protect elephants with essays, songs, videos and public speech. With people united, we can save elephants from the bloody poaching

There are basically three parts of my campaign. The first part is drawing ivory consumers' attention so that the demand for ivory can be reduced. And the second part is educating young people, especially in China, because they have the greatest possibility to become future ivory consumers. The last part is drawing international attention on this ivory trade issue.

Everyone has his or her power, which is very influential. They can make good use of their social network, by maybe writing a status on Facebook or sending a letter to newspapers, just like I have done. They can also educate people around them and their parents, because they all have the possibility to become ivory consumers. Young people's voices can be heard easily, and they are always noticed by others.

Tell people around you not to buy ivory.

The supply of ivory is no longer sustainable. It is time for us to rectify our mistakes before an irreversible disaster occurs. Please stop devastating a species that is already losing ground. Before they become extinct, let's save them, and our planet as well.

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Badges of wealth vary widely, from jewels to Rolex watches. In recent decades, however, there has come another one-ivory-which is regarded as both a symbol of status and a substance from which religious icons are made. As a result, however, African elephants have been the victims of this outrageous trend.

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I think it does not matter about age you can always help by stoping poaching

Gus

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In source 2 everyone was helping from nine year olds to 16 years old and you can help at any age - Harry

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In source three, it shows 5 tips of campaigns for change. Some tips are...
1. Messages that stick onto your mind.
This can make your campaign for change more effective, because the issue you are doing about will stay in people's minds.
2. Narratives
An emotional narrative can move people's minds, and get them into focusing more on you campaign for change.

Eito

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(Source 2)
In the second article it tells us about how kids can make a really big impact  on certain topics. It started out with a small donation, then they started to gather signatures and have almost completely banned ivory in hong kong. It also links in with how small changes can turn into massive differences. Especially if you take action instead of waiting for the world to change something. When children protest and try to change something it prepares children for the future. Its also good how students are teaching older people some stuff about how ivory is taken from elephants. It shows how kids are becoming aware of these issues and how they are making a change, I really admire the effort that they put into this. Being aware is VERY important in these situations.
- Evie

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the 2 website is about how the campaign for change was succeed by kids corroborating to stop  the illegal trade. And it is said NGO also can help.
in other website there were tips to stop.

Raya

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I think that the person in source 2 has a great idea because she raised awareness to the poaching in Asia. she saw that there was 7 tons of ivory coming in in 2013. even though she is still a kid and that has brought out a lot of people to see what is going on

Gregory

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In the second article 3 girls are protesting outside of a shop. They are showing the people walking by what was really happening to the Elephants because of their tusks being removed. They were shocked by responses such as 'I thought the tusks fall off of the Elephant' or seeing a man crying because of the pictures he saw of the dead Elephants. This shows that most people don't know or don't care about what is happening. So being aware is really important in these situations.
-Zara

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In Source 1it says that we can change anything because we are the next generation and we will be here longer. We need to get inspired and change the earth for what we want it to be.

- Arthur

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If you feel strongly about something, Take action.

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If you feel strongly about something, Take action.

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The source explains us about two girls working together to change the idea of selling ivory. They felt strongly about elephants ivory. so they spread the word. Then they made a plan. Then they took action.

(Source 1)
- Lou

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In source three, it shows 5 tips of campaigns for change. The 5 tips are...
1. Messages that stick onto your mind.
This can make your campaign for change more effective, because the issue you are doing about

Eito

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(Source 2)
Seeing younger people protesting about what matters to them is really motivating. Seeing how mature and aware they are is really surprising to me. They've made such a difference already.

Ferraro

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the second source talks about the actions that the 2 girls did. Its important if you feel strongly about something. Do not hesitate. Go for it.

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I think that the websites are trying to say that the littlest changes you make  will/can have a big impact. In source 1 they said  that they made people aware and slowly everybody got aware of it.
Anusha

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It does not matter where in the world you are.

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It does not matter where in the world you are.

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I think that the website (source 1 is helpful because it shows us that there were 2 girls in Hong Kong and they found something that they could do in Hong Kong that would help the country to improve/develop. So they decided to help fight against ivory trading to save endangered elephants.

(Source 1)
Maia

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In Source 2, it mentions an NGO based in Kenya called "Elephant Voices" that tries to prevent elephant poaching. The idea of people motivating each other spreads awareness about the situation, and shows how much they care about protecting the animals and our environment. This also shows that the younger generation has the best chance of making a big difference in the world, because we are the generation that cares about the environment, and protection of all animals.   -Nic

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The 3rd article is full of tips on how to  lead a successful campaign. These tips include making your campaign memorable and also writing stories about your campaign.

- Zach