Our long-term partner, LUSH, is joining Shark Savers with a whirlwind tour through Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to raise awareness about shark conservation with the sale of their “shark fin soap,” a sea-vegetable soap with a fin, with 100% of the profits going to Shark Savers.
Singapore kicked off in January, and beginning in February LUSH’s retail locations and the Shark Savers Taiwan team will conduct the largest awareness and education campaign on shark fin soup yet in Taiwan. Then it’s off to Hong Kong in March with joint promotions running through May.
Below is our joint press release for the events held with LUSH Singapore:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cosmetics Giant LUSH Joins Shark Savers ‘I’m FINished with FINS’campaign
SINGAPORE, January 19, 2013 – COSMETICS giant LUSH has teamed up with Shark Savers Singapore to raise awareness about the urgent need to curb the consumption and trade of sharks’ fins. The collaboration was launched on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at LUSH Cosmetic’s boutique at Wisma Atria and continues for two weeks.
Attending the event were Singaporean celebrities featured in Shark Savers’ “I’m FINished with FINs” campaign which empowers Singaporeans to not to eat shark’s fin soup: Mr. Hossan Leong, the campaign’s celebrity ambassador, Mr. Aaron Wong, campaign photographer, Ms Yasminne Cheng, Class95FM Radio deejay, and Nominated Member of Parliament Mr. Nicholas Fang. These personalities and almost fifty others can be seen in evocative black-and-white “I’m FINished” billboards throughout Singapore.
LUSH and Shark Savers have joined for a two week event called “Soap not Soup”, featuring the sale of ‘shark fin soap’. LUSH produced this special edition soap out of seaweed and sea salt, topped off with a small cardboard shark fin. All sales proceeds will go to Shark Savers.
Mr. Nafees Khundker, Director of LUSH, Singapore, explained, “100% of the LUSH products are not tested on animals and are designed to have a low impact on the environment.” he said. “We are very proud to partner with Shark Savers in what is a critical initiative to save sharks, which face the threat of extinction due to the consumption of shark fin soup.”
The celebrity participants gave their own reasons for supporting Shark Savers’ campaign. NMP Fang said, “If you look at the damage we are doing to the environment through this activity [eating shark fin soup], it is huge.” Fang urged people “to stand by your personal convictions” and not be afraid to speak out against shark fin soup. Yasminne Cheng added, “If there are traditions that are negative, that affect our welfare, then we should rethink these traditions.”
Hossan Leong joked that he is “doing this for 'selfish reasons', because if you don’t save the sharks, you won’t have healthy oceans, and I like seafood.” He referred to research that showed removing sharks from the ecosystem can result in the loss of species further down the food chain. He added, "the next generation should have the opportunity to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat."
Jonn Lu, Regional Director of Shark Savers, Asia Pacific, noted that “the over-fishing of sharks, mostly for their fins, happens out in the ocean, where most people don’t see it or know about its impact. People care about what they know, and they protect what they care about. We need to make sure people are aware about this issue, which is having a severe impact not just on sharks but the rest of the ocean ecosystem, and us humans who depend on the oceans for our existence.”
LUSH, a vegetarian company with vegetarian beliefs and sensibilities, which has over 820 shops across 50 countries around the globe, has taken Shark Savers’ pledge to not to serve any sharks fin dishes at corporate events, promote any shark fin products, or reimburse employees for expenses for sharks fin products. LUSH has also supported Shark Savers’ campaigns in Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, and Taiwan.
About Shark Savers Singapore
Shark Savers Singapore is a non-profit marine conservation organisation dedicated to saving sharks through awareness, education and direct grassroots action. Shark Savers Singapore’s mission is to empower Singaporeans to educate and inform their friends and family about the plight of sharks; that the unsustainable consumption of shark fin soup is responsible for the intense overfishing of sharks worldwide, destroying a critical link in the maintenance of healthy commercial fisheries and global marine ecosystems.
Shark Savers: https://mckenziewestmore.com
Shark Savers Singapore http://www.facebook.com/SharkSaversSingapore.
I’m FINished with Fins campaign: https://mckenziewestmore.com/imfinishedwithfins
Official Publication for Shark Savers Singapore:
Asian Diver Magazine
About LUSH
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath bombs, bubble bars, and solid shampoo bars, LUSH places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables and the finest essential oils. LUSH operates a strict policy against animal testing, supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives, and leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the consumer. LUSH products are 100 percent vegetarian, 81 percent vegan, 69 percent preservative-free and 44 percent free of wasteful packaging with absolutely no animal testing being done on LUSH products or ingredients. These ethics are at the heart of the brand and will remain there with every new shop that opens globally. LUSH has 1 location in Singapore with over 820 worldwide in 50 countries. Visit http://www.lushsg.com for more information.
For more information:
For Shark Savers: Shima Abdullah, Head of Public Relations & Special Projects, Singapore (+65 9728 8049)
For LUSH: Sohana Chowdhury, Director of Public Relations, Singapore (+65 9127 2070)
Notes to the editor:
Each year, the fins of tens of millions of sharks are slaughtered, with their fins entering the shark fin trade.
1/3 of all shark species are threatened with extinction.
80% of open ocean shark species frequently targeted in high seas fisheries are threatened or near threatened with extinction.
All 14 species of shark most prevalent in the shark fin trade are Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction.
More information and references for the above claims may be found at:
https://mckenziewestmore.com/en/our-programs/i-m-finished-with-fins/learn-more/
