Quantcast Vegetarian Star2015 Cricket World Cup

Activists have written to the president of the International Cricket Council, Sharad Pawar, asking him to replace the traditional leather balls used during the game with synthetic ones.

“As the so-called “Gentleman’s game,” cricket should be gentle on animals and the environment by making the switch to synthetic balls. You are in a unique position to create a change that would alleviate massive suffering and destruction,” PETA official Poorva Joshipura wrote.

Activists say not only is the use of leather causing animals to suffer, but people as well, as there are toxic chemicals used in the tanning process that pollute the environment.

In Banglasdesh, more than 90% of workers in tanning factories suffer from a severe physical malady from the exposure. These illnesses range from the acute such as asthma to serious, life-threatening diseases like cancer. Chemicals such as chromium, known for their toxicities, are regularly dumped into nearby streams and get into water supplies.

In the U.S., the equivalent sport king that uses so much leather is football. Ever wonder how many cows go into the balls used by the NFL?

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