Dear Center Supporter,

Earth Day has become a time for people to think about how their behavior affects the planet, pledge to make individual changes and participate in local actions. But of all the ways the occasion's observed, there's one trend that frustrates me: Companies and organizations often use Earth Day as a time to promote "eco-friendly" products. While tote bags made from recycled bottles and reusable food containers may be better choices than plastic, the best choice is to buy less overall.

But it isn't just our consumption habits. Everything we do has an environmental cost, especially sex. Our Endangered Species Condoms Coordinator has an op-ed in Ms. magazine online today about the connection between IUDs and Earth Day, and this weekend we're giving away thousands of Endangered Species Condoms to get people talking about the impact of human population growth on wildlife.

For the wild,

Crowded Planet / Now that spring has (finally) arrived, snakes are starting to emerge from their winter dens in the Southwest. Check out the top 10 tips for a safe snake season from Advocates for Snake Preservation.

Food Waste / Supermarkets 'Checked Out' on Food Waste

This week the Center, along with the "Ugly" Fruit and Veg Campaign, released an analysis of what the 10 biggest grocery companies in the United States are doing to prevent food waste. Our key finding: There's a lot of room for improvement. Nine out of the 10 companies don't report on their total food waste, only four have specific food-waste-reduction commitments, and Walmart was the only company with clear in-store efforts to reduce waste. Although all of the companies have food-donation programs, most aren't doing enough to prevent waste from the start. Read about the report on NPR and find out how your favorite stores stack up.

Wild Energy / Case Challenges Energy Monopolies

North Carolina's Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could shake up Duke Energy's electricity monopoly in the state. At the center of the dispute are some solar panels on a church in Greensboro. NC WARN, a clean-energy advocacy group, worked with Faith Community Church to install the rooftop panels in exchange for repayment based on the electricity generated. Duke Energy is arguing the agreement violated a state statute prohibiting third-party sales of electricity to the public. The Center took legal action to support NC WARN. The case could determine not only the fate of the church's energy, but whether similar arrangements in the future can help make solar panels more accessible and affordable in North Carolina. Read more about the case on ABC News.

Earth-friendly Diet / Eat Green on Earth Day

Life on this planet has changed a lot since the first Earth Day. Human population has more than doubled. So have our global greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, few people were even talking about climate change back then — and it's only recently they've started to make the connection between what they eat and their carbon footprint. As individuals we get to choose what goes on our plates. Earth Day is the perfect time to start reducing how much meat you consume to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from your diet. By eating just one-third less meat, you can save the equivalent of driving 2,700 fewer miles a year. Get started with our Earth-friendly recipes.

Take Action / Trump hasn't backed down from his announcement to expand offshore drilling in all U.S. oceans. It's time for Congress to step up and #ProtectOurCoasts. Call your representatives today.

Voices / Center Staff Join March for Science

Trump and his anti-science administration's slew of rollbacks and budget cuts, censorship and policies clearly favoring private interests took center stage at the March for Science last weekend. Center staff were there to speak out in defense of science-based policy. In Portland, senior scientist Tara Cornelisse spoke to the crowd about EPA chief Scott Pruitt's efforts to undermine public trust in peer-reviewed science and replace it with companies assessing their own products. But it wasn't all about federal policy — state-level anti-science decisions shared the spotlight. In Los Angeles, scientist John Fleming called out Governor Jerry Brown for playing the part of climate champion while issuing thousands of new oil drilling permits and allowing fracking to continue in the state.

Help us get the message to Gov. Brown. Sign our joint petition urging the governor to commit California to a fossil-free future.

Five Wild Picks / Mexico's Top Endangered Species

This week the Center released a report highlighting the 10 most iconic endangered species in Mexico and calling on the Mexican government to improve protection and understanding for its endangered wildlife. Here are five of the plants and animals highlighted in the report:

1) Vaquita: Fewer than 30 vaquitas likely remain in Mexico's Gulf of California, where these small porpoises are threatened by entanglement in fishing gear.

2) Mexican ajolote salamander: Also known as axolotl, or "water monster," these unique salamanders are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and use in folk remedies.

3) Scarlet macaw: These famous colorful birds have been exterminated from five Mexican states, leaving only two known populations that are threatened by animal trafficking, hunting and logging.

4) Elkhorn coral: The large branches of elkhorn coral provide refuge for a huge variety of species in Caribbean reefs, and their sensitivity to global warming puts the entire ecosystem in danger.

5) White nun orchid: Mexico is home to 200 endangered orchid species, and like many of them, the white nun orchid is threatened by habitat loss and harvesting.