Saving Animals, One Condom at a Time

When I tell you there are condoms out there that can help animals, I'm not talking about an alternative to spaying and neutering. This is protection for you that can protect other species, from cows to spotted owls.

Your average latex condom isn't vegan. Casein, a milk protein, is often used by manufacturers to strengthen the latex. There are a handful of vegan-friendly options that exist, however some of them, like the ones made by Condomi that substitute cocoa powder for casein, aren't approved for sale in the U.S. yet. 

But there's good news for vegan lovers: Sir Richard's Condom Company not only abstains from animal byproducts, but their all-around ethical latex is biodegradable, which means less impact on wildlife, and Fair Trade certified. And, for every condom you buy, one will be donated to a health organization in Uganda, Haiti or Thailand, with the hipster plaid packaging replaced with a culturally-sensitive design to make sure people will feel comfortable using them. No wonder their slogan is "Doing Good Never Felt Better."

These vegan condoms aren't the only merger of safe sex and animal ethics. This past Valentine's Day, the Center for Biological Diversity launched their Endangered Species Condom Project to draw attention to the threat human overpopulation poses to wildlife. This past Earth Day, 250,000 of the condoms were distributed for free across all 50 states by the Center's army of volulnteers, which includes biologists, ministers, college students and grandmothers.

Each of the six variations comes with two condoms, a colorful design and facts about the featured endangered animal. How can you resist sayings like "Wrap with care ... save the polar bear," "Cover your tweedle ... save the burying beetle," or "Hump smarter ... save the snail darter?"

It's a creative way to approach a sensitive subject: Population control isn't as popular a form of environmentalism as it was around the first Earth Day 40 years ago. But just because it's become taboo doesn't mean it's any less of an issue. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, "the human race is not only the most populous large mammal on Earth but the most populous large mammal that has ever existed." Humans have taken over 50 percent of the planet's freshwater and 50 percent of its land, which doesn't leave much for other species. 

What could be more fun than a polar bear, snail darter, spotted owl,  American Burying Beetle, Puerto Rico rock frog, or jaguar-themed Endangered Species Condom? Well, you could win a lifetime supply of them.

Choosing vegan or endangered species condoms is a personal choice you can make to make the world a safer place — for you and other animals.

Image credit: Lori Lieber/Center for Biological Diversity