Chinese-American Dilemna

We visited David's mother for Christmas.  She had recently cleaned up and brought out some ivory chopsticks relatives had given as a gift when the family came to NYC from HK in 1967.  They were personalized with their names on it, Chan, only the calligraphy (red) was so small I could barely see it.  All family members had their names painted on a set.

Only one problem.  David's mother described in detail that these were made of elephant tusks.  Can't get these any more.   Oh how sad, I'm touching a dead elephant's tusk. How stupid I felt -- of course I knew ivory is elephant tusk.  But why didn't that register before?  I wonder if I have eaten with ivory chopsticks throughout my life.

I imagined the elephants these came from.  A whole tusk taken off in order to make many chopsticks (I probably have some more in my drawers and closets which I never use).  How many other Chinese-American friends have these at home?  Chinese are one of the worst at protecting endangered species.  Luckily there is a whole new movement against sharks fin soup.

I imagined protecting the elephant these came from.  I wished I could just hold the elephant in my arms and protect it from the poachers.  Run away carrying baby elephants down the street, up to my room, hide them under my pillow.  I wish I could.  On a mission now to pull out all of my chopsticks which I never use to try and figure out which are real ivory and which are not.  What should I do with them?  Really use them?  Keep them protected under my bed?