By Suzanne York. The outrage over the killing of Cecil the lion from Zimbabwe is palpable. Sadly, this lion is just one of many species of animals killed by trophy hunters (as well as poachers). Yet would people be outraged if they knew that wild habitat for almost all species in Africa – and the
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By Suzanne York. In honor of World Population Day (July 11th), what better way to recognize the importance of the multi-faceted population growth issue than to look at success on the ground. In Ethiopia, some of the biggest issues facing the local communities are high population pressure (due to large family size and few family
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By Kimberly Absher, guest youth blogger, www.howmany.org. In many parts of South Africa, condoms are free and widely available, and local clinics offer free birth control, HIV tests and treatment. Brochures and signs can be seen throughout the country encouraging safe sex. Despite these public health efforts, survey after survey indicates high numbers of unprotected sex,
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By Suzanne York. “In fact, person for person, reducing birth rates in industrialized nations has a bigger impact on greenhouse gas emissions because affluent people use more of the Earth’s resources and depend more heavily on fossil fuels.” Thus wrote the editorial board of the Los Angeles Timesover the weekend. Word is getting out that
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org There has been some hoopla over a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) about how decreasing human population numbers is not a quick fix for environmental problems. Well, of course it’s not a quick fix.  Nothing really is, short of a catastrophe.  The two authors
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org As the world, or at least some of it, recognizes World Population Day on July 11th, it might be a good time to look around at some encouraging projects and initiatives empowering people and protecting the environment in communities across the globe. But first, some fast facts for a brief overview:
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org There has been much news lately on the 270 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped last month by the terrorist organization Boko Haram.  It took some time to hit the airwaves, and it partly took a Twitter campaign that began in Nigeria to make the headlines. Once it did, advocates from Michele Obama to
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org What is the connection between the health of our bodies and the health of the planet? The sad reality is that every day products are damaging our health, especially the reproductive health of both women and men, and damaging our environment.  As people in the U.S. and around the world celebrate
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org In yet another dire warning, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), comprising hundreds of scientists and government representatives from across the globe, released its long-awaited report on the impacts of climate change.     The IPCC report states that climate change has already “caused impacts on natural and
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By Suzanne York, www.howmany.org Yes, it is the 21st century, and hard as it is to believe, many people in the United States are opposed to health insurance plans covering birth control. How can someone be against contraception and empowering women to make the best choices for their own health and lives? The Supreme Court
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