Celebrate Secondhand Shopping |
From Stephanie Feldstein, Population and Sustainability Program Director |
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Look around at the jam-packed closets, ubiquitous storage units, and overflowing playrooms of average people in average U.S. towns, and it’s clear: We have a consumption problem. The pressure to constantly consume is driving destructive resource extraction, pollution, and waste while contributing to the climate and extinction crises. We can’t keep going this way.
The good news is that nearly all the stuff we want or need already exists — and secondhand shopping is a great way to get it without the environmental costs of buying new. That’s why the Center for Biological Diversity is celebrating National Thrift Shop Day on August 17. It’s a day to support the local economy, take a stand against the economic engine that steamrolls nature at the expense of people’s health and wellbeing, and celebrate making old items new again.
Learn more about the importance of secondhand shopping and read on to learn more about incorporating conservation into your next big event, how the U.S. Department of Agriculture is advancing Trump’s culture wars, and more. |
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The USDA Is Advancing Trump’s Culture War |
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has promoted a political agenda that targets some of the country’s most vulnerable populations through anti-immigrant and anti-diversity policies, the slashing of federal assistance programs, and the spread of false and misleading information. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has molded the U.S. Department of Agriculture into an enforcement arm for this agenda, seriously imperiling the nation’s food system and the people who work and depend on it.
In a new Medium piece, the Center’s Food and Agriculture Policy Specialist Leah Kelly provides an overview of how the USDA has worked to fulfill Trump’s cruel wishes. From attacking diversity programs to defunding programs for small farmers and local food systems, the actions of Trump’s USDA show that it has been weaponized to destabilize our entire food system.
Here’s one thing you can do: Subscribe to Leah’s Medium blog, Rooted in Policy, for more on the policies that shape our food system and its impact on the planet.
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Florida Panther Kittens Killed by Vehicle Strike |
Two 3.5-month-old endangered panther kittens were found dead last Sunday in South Florida, killed by a vehicle strike. Collisions with cars are the leading cause of panther deaths in Florida. The kittens were found just west of a state forest and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, illustrating the importance of wildlife connectivity and the need for wildlife crossings in developed panther territory.
“It breaks my heart to learn that Florida has lost two more panthers, female kittens who should’ve been allowed to survive, have kittens of their own and expand our sole, struggling population,” said Jason Totoiu, an attorney with the Center. “These wildlife deaths can be reduced if state lawmakers invest in wildlife crossings that give panthers a better chance at survival. I hope the kittens’ tragic deaths are a wake-up call to finally act.”
Here’s one thing you can do: The Trump administration’s inhumane detention center in the Florida Everglades, cruelly called “Alligator Alcatraz,” puts increasing pressure on panthers and other imperiled wildlife, jeopardizing their lives and recovery. Tell officials to stop this Everglades evisceration now.
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Contraception Access Varies Widely by State |
As the world’s population grows, so do its demands for water, land, trees, and fossil fuels. Scientists predict that more than 1 million species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. Access to voluntary family planning resources is a proven climate change solution that can help slow the extinction crisis — and should be a basic human right.
But a new assessment by the Population Reference Bureau shows that only 16 states and the District of Columbia protect access to contraception — and 16 states are actively restrictive. The 18 other states have a combination of restrictive and protective policies. Check out this scorecard to see how your state stacks up.
Here’s one thing you can do: Watch Population and Sustainability Campaigner Kelley Denning’s presentation at the online 2025 Childfree Convention as she discusses her decision to be childfree and how some pronatalist policies actively work to strip people of sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception.
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RFK Jr. Touts Saturated Fats in Boon to Big Beef |
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. recently vowed to stop the “attack” on fats in whole milk and cheeses, claiming they’ve been unfairly demonized by the medical community. In reality, there’s an enormous amount of scientific evidence on the health risks associated with higher consumption of dairy and other saturated fats, as I pointed out in a letter to the editor published in The Columbian.
Kennedy’s saturated fats talking points are so familiar they could have been written by the cattle industry. That fact raises a question about whether the next iteration of the national dietary guidelines will be as free of industry influence as the health secretary claims they’ll be. Kennedy’s promotion of unhealthy saturated fats isn’t an attempt to free Americans from antiquated medical advice — it’s another rejection of science.
Here’s one thing you can do: With many kids already going back to school, learn about how you can advocate for evidence-based, wildlife-friendly options in your local cafeterias with our sustainable school food guide. |
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Embracing Conservation on Your Big Day |
We celebrated World Nature Conservation Day on July 28, but every day is conservation day for the Center. And life’s celebrations are the perfect time to celebrate life on Earth. Our Wildlife-Friendly Wedding blog recently outlined how newlyweds — or anyone throwing a big bash — can embrace party practices that are less harmful to wildlife and the planet.
The latest blog post outlines tips like swapping meat-heavy menus for plant-based options, displaying paper bouquets instead of flowers imported from abroad, and giving thoughtful, waste-free party favors like looseleaf tea or spice mixes. (Couples have also given away our Endangered Species Condoms.) There are countless ways to throw a memorable party without compromising your wildlife-centered values.
Here’s one thing you can do: Check out our Wildlife-Friendly Wedding Guide and our Wildlife-Friendly Wedding blog for more tips. |
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Wildlife Spotlight: Arctic Ringed Seals |
Arctic ringed seals earned their name from the dark spots surrounded by light gray rings that cover their backs. They can live in areas completely covered by ice, using sharp claws on their flippers to create breathing holes. They give birth in snow caves built on top of sea ice. But climate change is reducing Arctic snowpack, causing caves to collapse and leaving pups vulnerable to death by freezing or from predators.
Following a Center petition, in 2012 Arctic ringed seals were protected under the Endangered Species Act, but the state of Alaska petitioned and went to court in an attempt to delist them as a threatened species. Thanks to intervention by the Center, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the seal’s protections, ensuring them a shot at survival.
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Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States
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