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7.5 billion and Counting

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No. 11, September 16, 2011

In This Issue:

7.5 billion and Counting Needs You
Study: How Many Species Are There?
Global Population Is Big News



7.5 billion and Counting Needs You

If you've been wondering how to get folks talking about that elephant in the room -- the vast crush of people crowding onto our planet -- now's your chance.

The Center for Biological Diversity just rolled out our national 7.5 billion and Counting campaign, and we'd love for you to join in. Our new website gives you action paths; check out our billboard video ad in New York City's Times Square and a new Facebook page. We're looking for volunteers to distribute 100,000 free Endangered Species Condoms nationwide through the month of October, and we've already had a huge response. So if you're interested in helping distribute please sign up soon -- supplies are limited.

We've also posted a page to help you plan and promote an event highlighting this important global moment. The United Nations predicts that the human population will reach 7.5 billion on Oct. 31, conveniently coinciding with Halloween -- use our event-ideas page to figure out ways to make the issue intriguing.

The coming weeks are a pivotal opportunity to get people thinking and talking about how population growth is affecting plants and animals around the globe, especially those already being pushed toward extinction. We've made a nifty little graphic that'll bring this issue home: A new interactive map allows you to find threatened and endangered species where you live so you can make species protection a part of any conversation you have about the 7.5 billion milestone.

You can use our Facebook wall to promote your event and post photos, videos and stories about what's planned and how it went.


Study: How Many Species Are There?

A new study estimates there are 8.7 million different species on the planet. Besides providing an advantage to future “Jeopardy” contestants, the study also revealed a lot about what we don't know: 86 percent of existing species on land and 91 percent of species in the oceans have still not been described or catalogued.

The Center's been connecting unsustainable human population growth with species extinction for several years now. Our work is often focused on those species we know about. Yet each new discovery has the potential to be a keystone species or the source of the next medical breakthrough. Promoting solutions that will slow population growth not only leads to protecting the plants and animals we know are already facing threats, but the millions -- literally millions -- of species that are still a mystery.


Global Population Is Big News

As the world population closes in on 7.5 billion in the coming weeks, you can expect to hear a lot about that number. Already the implications of hitting this milestone are popping up in news outlets worldwide: Lisa Hymas, editor at grist.org, wrote about her own population problem; The Washington Post ran an article predicting how many more cars we'll see on the world's roads; outlets like National Geographic are running special sections on population; and overseas the UK's Guardian has started a series of live web chats with population experts.

It's great to see this critical issue getting more and more coverage. Now it's time to add your voice to the mix.


Less is more,

Amy Harwood

Amy Harwood
Overpopulation Campaign Coordinator


Center for Biological Diversity | P.O. Box 710, Tucson, AZ 85702-0710

This is an unmonitored email address, please do not reply. To sign up for condoms, click here. If you'd like more information on the Center's overpopulation campaign, visit our website. To make a donation, click here. Specific population-related questions can be directed to population@biologicaldiversity.org. Please allow a few days for a response. To stop receiving Pop X, click here.

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