Wrap with Care: Condoms to Stop Extinction

In 2009, the Center for Biological Diversity, an organization dedicated to stopping the extinction of rare plants and animals in the world, started handing out condoms with rhyming environmental slogans on the wrappers. Condoms to prevent extinction? Exactly.

At Mountainfilm’s 2012 Moving Mountains Symposium, keynote speaker Paul Ehrlich presented this overarching message: Population and consumption are inseparable. In 2011, the human population passed the 7 billion mark, and the consumption of humans drives the major environmental problems that plague the planet. From climate change to species extinction, humans with our endless appetite for resources, are at the heart of the problem.

That’s why Endangered Species Condoms were created. Not because the Center for Biological Diversity wants us to quit reproducing, but with over half of the pregnancies in the United States being accidental, they want to encourage that the decision to procreate be made intentionally.

Endangered Species Condoms come complete with overpopulation facts and clever environmental messages, such as “In the Sack? Save the Leatherback” or “Don’t go bare; panthers are rare.” The packaging is the result of a collaboration with artist Roger Peet, who created special editions of the wrappers that feature different endangered creatures.

Since 2009, volunteers have distributed the condoms at concerts, bars, festivals (including Mountainfilm in Telluride), farmer’s markets, universities and other places and events. If you’d like to help encourage people to “Wrap with care; save the polar bear,” sign up to distribute free Endangered Species Condoms.

To learn which endangered species live in your neighborhood, check out the Center’s interactive map. You can also learn more about their campaign to address overpopulation.