Dear Warriors!!!
As some of you might know, our last campaign against the national
health food chain by the name of Nutrition House turned out to be a
bigger success than any of us could imagine. They agreed to remove all
shark products and convinced one of Canada’s largest manufacturers of
shark products to cease production. We are now ready to start campaign
against GNC: – General Nutrition Centers.- a huge shark cartilage and
shark products’ seller for useless cures. Please, please, copy/paste
the whole page letter (at the bottom is a copy of the original response
from Nutrition House and Holista Health Inc, important!!) OR if you
feel like it, modify the letter, just SEND it and cross-post, share,
forward to all your contacts on myspace, Facebook, and Twitter who
possibly would help stop the extinction of sharks from our oceans!!!
GNC is a worldwide, international nutrition franchise responsible for
millions of sharks’ cruel death for their products.
Please copy the letter to GNC below and paste it into your e-mail program. aim at their main office e-mail
adress and pull the trigger. We will be posting this on Myspace,
Facebook and Twitter so please send it or repost it to all your friends
GNC has too many outlets to list here. But you can find a store near you and their phone numbers by visiting their
Store Locator Here
Their main office e-mail address is customer-service@gnc-hq.com
Please call them at 1-888-462-2548 Just ask for Monica
SAMPLE LETTER:
GNC-General Nutrition Centers Inc.
Dear GNC,
I am concerned to see that you have shark cartilage products for sale
(Natural Brand™ Shark Cartilage 180), and wondered whether you are
aware of the problems facing shark populations worldwide? Sharks have
been on the planet for over 400 million years, and as top predators
they play an important role in our marine ecosystems. Sharks are
slow-growing, late to mature, and do not reproduce often – this means
that shark populations are particularly vulnerable to overfishing and
recover slowly, if at all. Humans kill 100 million sharks a year and
for what?
shark fins – for a tasteless bowl of soup
shark teeth – for jewelry
shark jaws – for tourist souvenirs
shark cartilage – capsules and powders for phony medicinal cures
shark liver oil – for cosmetics/skin care
Consequently, shark populations are declining rapidly due to the
immense overfishing and longlining pressure exerted on them. One third
of European shark populations are considered Threatened (Critically
Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) under IUCN Red List criteria.
I understand that shark cartilage is commonly procured as a by-product
of shark fisheries. However, all commercial products provide added
incentive for unsustainable shark fisheries, and serve to boost the
value of dead sharks rather than encourage the value of live sharks.
Although the Shark Trust supports full utilisation of sharks landed,
unsustainable shark fishing is a threat to shark populations worldwide,
and the sale of products from such fisheries threatens to deplete
vulnerable species.
Shark cartilage products are commonly produced using cartilage from the
Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) or Blue Shark (Prionace glauca). The
Spiny Dogfish is listed in the 2006 IUCN Red List assessment as
globally Vulnerable (i.e. facing a high risk of extinction in the
wild), with North Atlantic, North Pacific and South American stocks all
listed in a threat category (Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically
Endangered). Until recently this species was among the most abundant
shark species in the world, but has been heavily exploited in poorly
regulated fisheries that often target pregnant females. The 2006 IUCN
Red List assessment listed the Northeast Atlantic population of the
Blue Shark as Vulnerable. This species is highly migratory, and it is
likely that the entire Atlantic population of Blue Sharks is under
threat. Blue Sharks are among the most heavily fished sharks in the
world, and are often caught as bycatch.
Although shark cartilage may be a popular supplement, the market for
such products is unsustainable while cartilage is procured from
endangered species, and continued sale of these products contributes to
the decline of shark populations globally. Furthermore, there have to
date been no rigorous clinical trials providing evidence of the
efficacy of commercial shark cartilage supplements in treating
conditions such as arthritis and cancer. A serious health problem with
eating or using shark products is the Methyl Mercury that it contains.
Mercury that is known to cause significant health issues including
pregnant women and children. Methyl Mercury is due to pollution of our
oceans and works its way up through the ecosystem chain and makes it to
the top predators being the Shark, Tuna, etc. The concentration of
methyl mercury increases with the sharks since they live long lives.
This concentration is said to be 10 to 100 times the legal limit
allowed for human consumption.
I strongly urge you to consider removing shark cartilage products from
your stores, and to explain to your customers why you are taking this
decision, as public awareness of this issue is essential to improving
shark conservation worldwide.
Here is the response from two nationwide companies that have realized
their error and effect on our oceans’s eco system by selling shark
products:
Nutrition House Response
After hundreds of our members and internet friends contacted them from
around the world voicing their strong disapproval of the sales of any
shark products:
Dear Shark Shepherd Supporters
We are writing in response to your blog posting and subsequent numerous
messages regarding Shark Cartilage. Nutrition House takes its
responsibilities to the environment seriously. We have been working
with www.SharkWater.com and www.sharktrust.org, as you suggested, to get a better sense of the threats to the shark population and the impact of shark finning.
Although we have been assured by our suppliers that the brands of shark
products we supply have been ethically harvested, we have come to the
conclusion that any harvesting of sharks at this time creates a
potential for ecological harm and thus we have sent a request and
notification to all of the Nutrition House stores with a request for
them to stop selling this product. We are hoping that once stores move
their stock they will comply and support or message. We have been in
contact with the manufacturers of this product are happy to announce
that Natural Factors the leading manufacturer of natural health
products in Canada has also been reviewing this product and their
ecological concerns with it. They have made the decision to stop
manufacturing this product as well.
Nutrition house has always prided itself on leading the industry in an
ethical and responsible manner. We also strive to meet the health needs
and well being of our customers and our environment.
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. Through education and working together we will reach the end goal.
I wish you the best in your campaign
Nutrition House
After hundreds of our members and internet friends contacted them from
around the world voicing their strong disapproval of the sales of any
shark products:
The Response From Holista Health Inc Is As Follows
Holista Health Inc. serves a loyal and ever-growing population of health-conscious individuals
who are looking for natural ways to maintain and enhance their lives.
At Holista, we are concerned with the health and well-being of our customers and our
environment. Over the last several years, we have been reviewing more closely the ecological
impact of using Shark Cartilage as a nutritional supplement. We have long been aware of the
poaching of sharks for their fins alone and continue to oppose this practice. Although the supply
of our Shark Cartilage products does not come from sharks harvested in this manner, we have
come to the conclusion that any harvesting of sharks creates a potential for ecological harm. In
addition, we have consulted with various conservation groups who have provided us with
valuable insight around this critical issue.
It is for this reason that Holista has ceased purchasing Shark Cartilage raw materials and will no
longer be producing Shark Cartilage products. It is our hope that this decision will contribute to
the necessary global moratorium required on the harvesting of sharks.
Cartilage supplements are used primarily by individuals suffering from the pain and debilitating
effects of osteoarthritis. We are confident that the scientific evidence¹ supports the use of
cartilage and chondroitin supplements in the maintenance of joint health and will continue to
provide our customers with natural, effective products from alternate sources.
Holista is dedicated to providing the best products to our customers. We look forward to your
continued support.
Product Information Services
Holista Health
Phone: 1-800-204-4372
info@holista.ca
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I would be grateful
if you could let me know how you plan to address these concerns.
For more information, please visit www.sharkwater.com, www.sharktrust.org andwww.Globalwildlifewarriors.org
Yours sincerely,
Name-Surname
Country
A copy of the code of this post is available below where it says
“Attachment” for downloading by right clicking on it and “Save Link As”
then you can copy/paste/post it online into bulletins etc…
A flyer can be downloaded by clicking on the link below and then hand
delivered to any GNC location, or print a hundred and drop them at gyms
or schools.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/21769510/S-O-S-Save-Our-Seas-Save-Our-Sharks-Save-Our-Selves
carmen4thepets 