United States Already in Overshoot |
From Stephanie Feldstein, Population and Sustainability Program Director
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Geologists recently argued over whether humanity’s impact on the planet was enough to qualify as a new epoch. If it had been recognized, the Anthropocene epoch would have begun in the mid-20th century, when fossil fuel consumption, global trade and nuclear weapons testing began to radically alter the Earth.
No matter how scientists choose to define it, there’s no denying that humans have made an indelible mark on the planet. Just this week, the United States went into overshoot, when our collective demand for ecological resources and services in 2024 exceeded what the Earth can regenerate this year for us and wildlife — after only three months. Earth Overshoot Day, the day on which all of humanity reaches that threshold, will arrive later this summer.
Read on to learn more about the intersection between population growth and reproductive rights, a groundbreaking greenwashing lawsuit against the world’s largest beef producer, and more. |
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A recent study analyzing photos of hermit crabs found that two-thirds of hermit crab species were pictured in “artificial shells” made from human trash, such as plastic bottle caps. Hermit crabs scavenge shells to protect their bodies, but according to the study’s authors, the use of garbage as shells is now a global phenomenon.
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Talking About Population Helps Reproductive Rights |
A new analysis exploring the links between population growth and reproductive rights found that improving gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights is hampered by the resistance of some organizations to address the size and growth of population.
The report’s researchers challenge the view that considering the demographic implications of reproductive rights is alarmist or harmful. Instead, they argue that failure to discuss population is a missed opportunity to advance reproductive health and rights. The Center has long recognized the importance of addressing these issues and proudly works at the intersection of population, consumption and reproductive rights.
Here’s one thing you can do: Not sure how to talk about these issues with sensitivity? Check out our guide How to Bring Anti-Racism Into the Population Conversation. |
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Ranching Drives Texas Wildfires |
Devastating wildfires have ripped through the Texas panhandle in recent days and continue to burn. This region is home to the majority of the state’s cattle, and more than 7,000 of the animals have perished in the fires. But, as an article by Sentient Media points out, the cattle inhabiting this part of Texas aren’t only victims to the fires — they also contribute to the problem of more frequent and severe wildfires.
As Jennifer Molidor, senior food campaigner at the Center, explained to Sentient Media, “Not only has cattle ranching made the area more prone to fire from an ecological perspective, it’s also driving climate change which is causing more fires and longer fire seasons.” Here’s one thing you can do: Learn more about the harms of cattle grazing with the Center’s grazing factsheet. |
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Watch: Children of the Vine Documentary |
Children of the Vine is an unsettling documentary that investigates Monsanto's controversial herbicide Roundup and its impact on public health. It was previously featured in the Center’s environmental and reproductive health film series and includes interviews with the Center’s own Environmental Health Science Director Nathan Donley. The film is now available to rent or buy online.
Children of the Vine explores why glyphosate, the primary active ingredient in Roundup, is filtering into so many facets of our daily lives. The herbicide is the most widely used in the world and was recently identified as a possible cancer-causing agent. It’s now found in breast milk, baby food, wine and 80% of food grown in the United States. Here’s one thing you can do: Ask your representatives to support the Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act. |
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Groundbreaking Greenwashing Case Filed Against JBS |
In 2021, JBS, the world’s largest producer of meat, announced it would reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040, a claim that most environmentalists knew was impossible. Late last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued JBS USA for its net-zero climate claims, charging that JBS intentionally misled consumers and had no intention to reach the 2040 target.
“When companies falsely advertise their commitment to sustainability, they are misleading consumers and endangering our planet,” Attorney General James said in a statement. “JBS USA’s greenwashing exploits the pocketbooks of everyday Americans and the promise of a healthy planet for future generations.”
Here’s one thing you can do: Carbon emissions aren’t the only harms caused by giant meat producers. They’re also a huge threat to safe, clean water for people and wildlife. Help us urge the EPA to regulate factory farms. |
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All 8 billion of us need a place to call home, but a new report by the Center illustrates how sprawl development built far away from city centers carries direct and indirect costs that pull resources away from existing neighborhoods, harming communities and natural habitats.
The True Cost of Sprawl analyzes the environmental harms — including pollution, wildfire risks and public health threats — that come with poor land-use decisions. “Fueling more sprawl is lucrative for developers, but it levies a hefty price tag for the rest of us,” said Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat, a campaigner at the Center and an author of the report. “Failing to address the true costs of sprawl will mean more land-use mistakes that lock us into a future of more smog, congestion and wildfire risk.”
Here's one thing you can do: Energy development can also come at a high cost to wildlife and wild places. Urge the Bureau of Land Management not to make the mistake of destroying public lands in its rush to expand renewable energy. |
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Wildlife Spotlight: Southwestern Willow Flycatcher |
The imperiled southwestern willow flycatcher is a small migratory songbird with grayish-green wings. The birds travel from Latin America each spring to the southwestern United States to nest and breed along desert streams. Their appetite for insects helps keep ecosystems in balance, earning them a Latin name (Empidonax traillii extimus) that partially translates to “mosquito king.”
These flycatchers are protected as an endangered species, but they still face serious threats because of extensive loss of streamside forests from livestock grazing. Recently, the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association sued to strip the flycatcher of protection under the Endangered Species Act. The Center and the Maricopa Audubon Society intervened and late last month a federal court dismissed the lawsuit, ensuring the small songbirds remain protected.
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Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States |
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