Now that we're another month into the global pandemic, with most of the country under stay-at-home orders and the number of those affected by COVID-19 continuing to rise, we're beginning to see the vulnerabilities of our food system. Frontline food workers and farmworkers are being told to come to work when they're sick and aren't being given adequate equipment to keep themselves safe. Produce is being left to rot in fields, and milk is being dumped in astonishing quantities as supply chains break down. Environmental protections are being rolled back, further endangering public health.

It may sound bleak, but this is an opportunity to revolutionize our food system. Rather than continuing to prop up unsustainable, exploitative industrial agriculture, we can invest in workers, small and mid-size farmers, plant-based foods and regional solutions. Read on for how the Center's working to fight factory-farm bailouts and help create a more resilient, just and green food system.

For the wild,

As people around the world are spending more time indoors, reports of wildlife taking advantage of empty streets have been cropping up on social media and in the news. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, this wild turkey was spotted exploring the University of Michigan campus.

50+ Groups to Congress: Don't Bail Out Factory Farms

As federal agencies prepare to dole out $23.5 billion in stimulus money for food and agriculture, more than 50 organizations called on Congress to prevent factory farms from receiving COVID-19 relief funds.

In a letter sent this week, the Center, Brighter Green, A Well-Fed World and dozens of allies urged Congress to ensure that stimulus money isn't used to prop up unsustainable, exploitative livestock production. We asked Congress to support workers and small and mid-size farmers instead to build a resilient food system.

Here's one thing you can do: Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is already determining how to distribute billions of dollars. Tell Secretary Perdue to ensure that this funding benefits people and communities, not multinational corporations and polluting agribusinesses.

Steps to Safeguard Reproductive Health

In the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis, access to reproductive healthcare is being neglected by many policymakers just when people need it most. Even worse, right-wing politicians are doubling down on their attacks on reproductive rights. The Guttmacher Institute outlined nine things Congress must do to protect sexual and reproductive health. The list includes recognizing reproductive health as essential care, supporting telehealth, expanding support for family planning, protecting access to abortion and securing the rights of the most vulnerable communities.

Here's one thing you can do: Join the #Fight4Her movement by asking your representatives to support the Global HER Act and repeal Trump's global gag rule that restricts access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare around the world.

Social Marketing Through Endangered Species Condoms

The Journal of Population and Sustainability published an article last month by Center staff about the effectiveness of using creative media to bring population back into the environmental conversation. While many other groups considered the topic too taboo to address, the Center has given away more 1 million Endangered Species Condoms over the past 10 years through a nationwide network of volunteers. The article discusses how the Center has successfully used social marketing to influence behavior change and encourage people to become population advocates.

Here's one thing you can do: Our condom distributions have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions, but you can still join our volunteer network to receive information about future opportunities to give away Endangered Species Condoms.

Join Our #EarthWeekNatureSeek Instagram Challenge

Earth Day looks unfamiliar this year, with festivals cancelled and events moved online. Even though we need to be cautious when we go outside, nature and the environment are still vital to our physical and mental wellbeing. That's why we're hosting an Instagram challenge during Earth Week to encourage people to create, discover and share the artsy side of the natural world.

Check out our Crowded Planet Instagram for rules and prompts. Each day from April 20-24, we'll post a themed prompt to inspire you. The first 10 people to meet the challenge each day will receive a pack of Endangered Species Condoms.

Sustainable Gift Giving in the Time of Coronavirus

Choosing the right sustainable gift can be challenging in the best of times, but social distancing and sheltering at home make it even harder to celebrate special occasions and show loved ones you care. But that doesn't mean you have to cancel birthdays or skip supporting friends affected by the coronavirus. In an EcoWarrior Princess post, Endangered Species Condom Coordinator Sarah Baillie unwraps how she's getting creative with morale boosters, snack support and online connections to give gifts that are meaningful and environmentally friendly.

Here's one thing you can do: Skip the online retail giants and get creative with your next gift by planning a future experience or giving your loved ones a hobby-related gift they can enjoy now.

Wildlife Spotlight: Nassau Grouper

Nassau groupers are native to South Florida and the Caribbean, where you'd recognize them by their zebra-like pattern and knack for posing for pictures. Or you might not recognize them, because their distinctive coloring can change within minutes, from mostly white to mostly dark brown, depending on their mood. They may be friendly with SCUBA divers, but they're not picky eaters, going after whatever fish fits in their mouth and swallowing it whole.

Nassau groupers used to be the most common groupers in the United States, but overfishing contributed to their population plummeting by 60%. As threats to the groupers increase from nearshore pollution and climate change impacts like sea-level rise and ocean acidification, the Center is suing the Trump administration for failing to protect their habitat.