Environmental Management - the Leather and Fur Industry of Eastern Asia - Essay Example

Environmental Management: Pollution Control and Monitoring Nowadays, people seem to be more environment-aware than ever before. We all know that natural resources are limited, that we should preserve virgin forests, so that they would continue to grant us the necessary oxygen, that we should prevent the pollution of river and marine water, and that we should take care of the extinction of endangered species. We all cried or felt deep sorrow when we watched films shot by PETA activists, films that reveal the tragedies of tortured and mutilated animals. We all were horrified to see huge amounts of rubbish in certain countries, dirty, polluted waters, factories that produce large amounts of smoke, threatening the lives of those who live in the areas nearby. We all know facts: and many of us even try to struggle for our goals, to "make this world a better place", as my beloved idol Michael Jackson used to sing. We receive daily newsletters from various organisations that are - or pretend to be - actively involved in fixing the environmental issues generated by their activities, and often, these organisations even create media campaigns destined to show that they are keenly interested in combating pollution. They claim that they doing their best. They often support these claims by issuing statements, figures, tables, calculations and press releases. They have hired experts especially trained to show an immaculate image, and often they prefer to invest massive sums in huge advertising campaigns, instead of investing in research destined to develop proper solutions for the preservation of our heritage: the natural resources and the balance of the environment. A huge step ahead was made by authorities when they started introducing environmental management standards and regulations - created as objective rules that keep pollution under control. Moreover, we have to notice that authorities tend to be stricter than ever before regarding the eco standards imposed to companies. There are a wide series of standards that must be fulfilled, so that auditors would grant their approval for your activity. ISO 14,001 is the certificate one aims for - and you must be certain to know your ways around in order to achieve it! And ISO 14004 is the one to focus on environment management systems, first of all. ISO 14,001 is downloadable and purchasable on the website standardsdirect.org. There one may find plenty of information regarding the standards that refer to environmental management systems, auditing, performance evaluation, labelling, life-cycle assessment and environmental aspects in product standards. Therefore, it is everyone's interest to become competitive on the international market by assuming these regulations and standards. As I have previously mentioned, most organizations have adopted strategies that show their constant and permanent interest in the environment, strategies that serve a double purpose: first of all, create an immaculate and environment-friendly image to the company, and second, encourage the customer to trust the mentioned company. Unfortunately, the world we live in pays a lot more respect to image, and sometimes fails to focus on the essence. Advertising was created as a tool for fooling the ordinary man; and we all were fooled at least once or twice. And some of us never manage to realise that we are misinformed. A fact we should all keep in mind is that the transparency of the information shared by various organizations and companies is less than satisfactory - as it is always an option to avoid the additional expenses generated by the development of environment friendly techniques. And another unfortunate fact is that, in many countries that were heavily hit by the recent recession, auditors tend to be less then exigent, and authorities are more indulgent, as everyone has a common purpose: to sell the goodies and cash their share. The industry I would like to refer to in this paper is the leather and fur industry of Eastern Asia. I have chosen this subject because it impressed me, because the way animals are tortured horrified me, and because I want to see that it never happens again. Fur trade, is by far, the cruellest industry I can remember, and I will come up with a series of gruesome examples, to support my point of view. There are about 50 million animals killed annually, all over the world, and 90 per cent of them are minks, raccoons, foxes, lynxes, wolves, rabbits, coyotes, beavers, squirrels, and other animals condemned to a lifetime of pain and an awful death due to their naturally beautiful fur. A gift of nature, turned into a curse by the greed of fur and leather producers. If we think about it, fur is unnecessary, actually. It is only bought for appearance, fashion, style, or to symbolize social status. It is obtained from companies known as fur farms, companies that breed and raise numerous animals of the same species, keeping them together, or closing them in small cages. Most of these farms are located in North China, as the cold climate of the region facilitates the growth of the thickest fur. Animals are raised in an unbearable cold, so that additional thickness could be accomplished. Moreover, these unfortunate animals are kept hungry and thirsty, so that they would not be able to gain weight and defend themselves when they are sacrificed. As "PETA's Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing" puts it: "Millions of cows, pigs, sheep, and goats are slaughtered for their skin every year. They are castrated, branded, and dehorned and have their tails docked without anesthetics. Then they are trucked to slaughter, bled to death, and skinned". (http://origin.www.peta.org/living/clothingguide-intro.asp) Not to mention the similarly disturbing fact that the leather-producing process is also affecting the health of the employees. It involves dangerous "ingredients" such as formaldehydes, chrome, cyanide-based oils and dyes, and many other toxic substances, exposing workers and neighbours alike to the threat of deadly diseases such as cancer or poisoning. It is so easy to buy "cruelty-free" clothes made of plush and synthetic materials that are less of a threat to workers, too. We should not forget that each of our choices is a step ahead in the defense of the environment, or, on the contrary, is a gesture that supports the merciless butchering of other living beings. Another website that drew my attention was the site of the Global Action Network, which published another shocking article on China's fast increasing fur exports based on fur farms founded during the last decade. While checking on details, couldn't help noticing how Chinese authorities are boasting that they have achieved such impressive results, and earned huge monies. According to facts and figures, a major income source of the Chinese economy is represented by fur farms. Does it sound good Well, hardly. It is no doubt that the ultimate goal of any industry is to produce money. More money. Even more money. As much money as possible. But, beside the money. Therefore, Chinese officials issued minimal regulations destined to protect the animals, and are more than willing to ignore all violations. Also, labour costs are significantly lower than anywhere else, and, thus, China has become the "paradise" of fur wholesalers and designers of fur clothing. What about the welfare of the sacrificed animals Neither of the involved seems to care. Figures are revealing: two million cats and dogs are bred and raised in the unhealthiest and most miserable conditions, or, in other cases, even people's pets are caught in traps that cause awful pain and physical damage. After a life of deprivation, they suffer an even more horrendous death. Dogs are hanged by their paws and afterwards, an artery is cut in their thigh. Then, they are left to bleed to death. Thus, no damage occurs to their fur. According to the same article, kitties are strangled with wire nooses. Shooting is avoided, despite of the fact that it is a less painful method, as it leaves undesired holes in the fur. And although many countries, such as the United States, the Scandinavian countries or Australia, have responded to awareness campaigns initiated by defenders of animal rights, and have adopted strict restrictions regarding the import of dog and cat fur, they still have to find methods to prevent mislabeling. DNA tests are the only available - and quite expensive - way to establish the origin of the imported fur. Asian exporters are quite ingenious in finding numerous ways of concealing violations. One of them is deliberate mislabeling in order to keep the industry going. "Dog fur is sold as 'Asian wolf" fur, while cat fur is often labeled as 'rabbit' fur", the Global Action Network website announces. Other reports published by PETA, including undercover taped investigations, show slow and agonizing deaths of the raccoons and minks skinned with a knife while some of them were still alive. In other films, merciless workers grabbed the small, delicate animals and thrashed their heads against the ground. This sort of footage was highly revealing for customers, and led to a series of protests in front of Chinese Embassies and Consulates. There were numerous celebrities, such as Charlize Theron, willing to support these causes with their name and popularity. And thus, facts were unveiled, and neither of us can avoid the responsibility of being aware. Nonetheless, there is good news. Each of us may take action, by informing others, supporting organizations and actions destined to defend and protect animal rights and, most of all, by avoiding the purchase of products of this merciless industry. The rules of economy are simple and clear: customer demand determines producer's offer. "PETA's Guide to Compassionate Clothing" also provides a series of details we should keep in mind when we are out shopping, in order not to be fooled by a fake label, and a list of designers that have gone fur free. It is easy now to be fashionable by wearing fine quality faux fur and faux leather. No innocent animal should ever die for the manufacturing of an unnecessary luxury item. Each designer that announces the decision to give up the use of natural fur and leather is announced by PETA, as a major victory. Thus, besides being ethical and fair, besides "doing the right thing", the decision also brings them an image bonus. Or you might want to call it additional advertising. Customer awareness may thus generate "compassionate fashion trends." It may decrease fur and leather imports and it may encourage the research for synthetic materials. It may determine fur farms to go bankrupt, and merciless producers to cease the torture of animals. Similarly, in all the other industries dealing with natural resources that need careful managing, customer awareness is final thing that can make a difference. They all sell; but you are the one to pay. Sources: ISO 14,001 homepage, www.directstandards.org PETA homepage, www.peta.org Global Action Network: http://www.gan.ca/campaigns/fur+trade/cat+and+dog+fur.en.html Read More