Global climate change is real, and yes, the polar bears are drowning. There are tons of things you can do to reduce your impact on the environment, like recycling, driving a hybrid car, using solar power and wearing a condom. Wearing a condom? Yep, wearing a condom can help save the planet.

Think about it: Humans are largely responsible for melting ice caps, oceans of garbage and disappearing animals and forests. If we want to reduce our impact on the environment and make good use of limited resources, like water, then we’ve got to reduce population growth by preventing unplanned pregnancies.

Using a condom or other method of birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy isn’t just about saving your own skin; it’s about protecting the environment. So do your part to save the planet and use a condom or other method of birth control if you decide to have sex.

There’s been a lot of talk about Bristol Palin, the pregnant, 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Parents play an important role in teaching their children about sex. What did Bristol Palin learn about sex from her mother?

First, you have to know a little bit about where Sarah Palin stands on the issues. She is anti-choice, even in cases of rape or incest. She’s also anti-comprehensive sex ed and wants abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in schools, which means information about condoms and birth control wouldn’t be taught.

Did Sarah talk to Bristol about using condoms to protect herself from pregnancy and STDs? Or did she only push for abstinence and leave her daughter without important info about condoms that could have prevented a pregnancy?

There’s no way of knowing what Sarah and Bristol talked about, or if they talked about sex at all! Teens need and deserve honest and accurate information about sex—not only from comprehensive sex ed classes and resources like Sexetc.org, but from parents as well. Parents really do matter when it comes to learning about sex, so make sure you talk to them!

Imagine going to a doctor after deciding to have an abortion because you know you can’t support a child. Before you have the abortion, your doctor asks you to read a statement that says “the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being” and you have “an existing relationship with that unborn human being.” Would you be shocked? Scared? Maybe you wouldn’t even bat an eye. Or maybe you’d leave before having the procedure.

In two weeks, women who choose to have abortions in South Dakota won’t have to imagine this scenario. A new abortion law will require that they be read a statement with this exact language.

The decision to have an abortion is tough. And women who choose to have abortions are very clear that it will end a pregnancy. Does telling women that they will “terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being” give women medical information they don’t already have? Or does it just manipulate women’s emotions about an already difficult decision?

Whatever you think about abortion, the decision to have one is personal. Tell us what you think about South Dakota’s new law.

Eight girls from Gloucester High School in Gloucester, MA, have been the talk of the town. The principal of the school claims the girls—none older than 16—made a “pregnancy pact” with each other and planned to “get pregnant and raise their babies together.” The girls haven’t spoken to reporters, so the “pregnancy pact” may simply be an exaggeration. But what makes this story shocking is the fact that 9 other girls at Gloucester High have gotten pregnant—for a total of 17 teen pregnancies this year!

What’s going on in Gloucester that has girls lining up to get pregnant? Is it something in the water? Some people blame the media and think that all the attention pregnant celebrities get makes pregnancy seem glamorous. Others think that the girls just wanted someone to love them and thought that having a baby would fill their emotional needs.

It’s easy to point fingers, but where’s the good sex education and access to health services? Sex education at Gloucester High School ends freshman year. You can’t expect teens to avoid pregnancy by leaving them in the dark! Good sex ed wouldn’t just teach teens about the 9-month birth cycle, but it would also teach teens how to prevent pregnancy. Teens would learn about proper use of condoms and other birth control, and they would get all the facts about options if they do become pregnant.

Gloucester works hard to keep teen moms in school and offers free on-site day care. It’s great to see that pregnant teens are welcome, but what about preventing future teen pregnancies? In a school where day care is offered, why not offer condoms in the nurse’s office, too?

Getting pregnant isn’t a solution to poverty or lack of jobs and opportunities. And having a baby definitely isn’t the way to have someone to love and love you back. Pregnancy only makes life more difficult, especially for teens that have no education, job or people to help raise a child. Even though life can seem tough, having a baby is not the solution. It’s worth waiting until you’re older to get pregnant. You owe it to yourself AND the baby.

Are you a fan of the hit show Gossip Girl? There’s been some controversy over the promos for the new season. Critics argue that the promos are way too sexual and that the ads are sending the wrong message to the show’s teen audience. Take a look at the promos for Gossip Girl in the clip below:

These ads are just another example of sexualized advertisements that specifically target teens. Did you notice the OMFG? Some adults might not know what that means, but ask almost any teen and he or she will know. The teen-friendly OMFG sends a message that clearly says, “Hey teens, watch Gossip Girl! The sex scenes are outta control!” And, just in case you don’t realize how much sex there is on the show, a voice says the word “sex” over and over while sex scenes from the show flash across the screen.

Some people might think, So what? I’ve seen ads like this before. What’s the big deal?

The big deal is that ads like these present a warped view of sexuality that’s all about sexual fantasy and not reality. Important parts of sex—like communicating with your partner and using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy—are completely left out of the picture. With teens and middle-school kids watching, you have to wonder: How are they supposed to learn about the really important parts of sex that we don’t see on TV, like deciding if you want to have sex, communication and condoms?

The next time you’re watching TV and you see a sex scene, take note: Do the partners discuss their expectations of sex? How about using condoms or other methods of birth control? Do they talk at all about preventing STDs? You’ll find that although there’s tons of sex on TV, there are few realistic portrayals of responsible safer sex.