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For Immediate Release, April 21, 2010

Contact: Randy Serraglio, (520) 784-1504 or rserraglio@biologicaldiversity.org

Center for Biological Diversity Gives Out 250,000 Endangered Species Condoms for Earth Day

Wildly Successful Educational Project Highlights Devastating Impacts of
Human Overpopulation on the Environment

TUCSON, Ariz.— Through a network of 5,000 volunteers operating in all 50 states – as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico – the Center for Biological Diversity will distribute 250,000 free Endangered Species Condoms at Earth Day events as part of its campaign to address unsustainable human population growth. The Center’s Earth Day distribution is supported by an educational Web site – www.EndangeredSpeciesCondoms.com – with information about the devastating impacts of human overpopulation on endangered species. The site also offers options to volunteer to distribute these unique condom packages and enter to win free condoms for life.

“Since the original Earth Day in 1970, global population has nearly doubled,” said Randy Serraglio, a conservation advocate leading the Center’s overpopulation campaign. “In 1970, it was well understood that overpopulation was causing the environmental challenges that we faced. Today, on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, unsustainable human population growth is too often ignored, even though it continues to drive all of the major environmental problems that plague our planet.

“The pressures of 6.8 billion consumers on the planet are particularly damaging to endangered species and their habitats,” said Serraglio. “All of the major threats to the earth’s biodiversity – sprawl, pollution, competition for water, climate change, and so on – are driven by a huge and rapidly growing human population.”

The Endangered Species Condoms, featuring catchy slogans and beautiful artwork depicting six different endangered species, will be distributed at Earth Day events on college campuses, in bars, and at concerts, markets, clinics, and other places by a diverse group of volunteers. Stated Serraglio, “These condoms are designed to appeal to people’s sense of humor and remind them that, in the long run, we will not be able to solve our environmental problems and protect the amazing diversity of life on earth without stabilizing global human population.”

The Center has enlisted more than 5,000 volunteer distributors to hand out 350,000 Endangered Species Condoms to date. “The response has been overwhelming,” said Serraglio. “More requests are coming in every day, and we’re hearing back from volunteers that Endangered Species Condoms are wildly popular in their communities.”

Endangered Species Condoms are being distributed for free to highlight the need for universal access to free birth control for everyone who wants it. “The 350,000 Endangered Species Condoms that we have distributed thus far roughly equals the number of births around the world each day,” said Serraglio. “Absent educational programs such as this one, and vastly improved access to birth control, global human population could reach 10 to 15 billion people by mid-century. It is mind-boggling to consider the impacts of 15 billion people on the earth’s resources. The earth simply cannot sustain our current growth and still provide a living for all species, including humans.

“With extremely high levels of consumption and the fastest-growing population of any developed nation, the United States is a fundamental part of the problem,” continued Serraglio. “The United States could be a fundamental part of the solution by taking the lead in promoting policies that will stabilize runaway human population growth. Through the empowerment of women, education on the dangers of overpopulation, and universal access to free birth control, we can stabilize global human population at a sustainable level.”

Learn more about Endangered Species Condoms and overpopulation.

Download an Earth Day overpopulation fact sheet.


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