Heroes
One thing the Rio Olympics will get right this year: condoms.
Brazil wants all Olympic visitors to have safe, eco-friendly sex.
07.08.16
Rio has had no shortage of problems leading up to the 2016 Olympics, but one problem it definitely won't have is a shortage of condoms.
The Brazilian government plans to distribute 9 million free condoms during the Rio Olympics.
<p class="image-caption">Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/Getty Images.</p><p>So at least everyone can have safe sex while the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/apr/27/rio-2016-olympic-games-100-days-to-go-brazil-controversy-legacy" target="_blank">country braces for a major recession</a>, watches corruption mount in their government, and muddles through various health crises like the recent <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160324145916.htm" target="_blank">Zika outbreak</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14791849/trash-contamination-continue-pollute-olympic-training-competition-sites-rio-de-janeiro" target="_blank">water contamination incidents.</a><br></p><h2>These aren't ordinary condoms, however. They're doing a lot more than keeping STDs out and accidental Olympics-related pregnancies down.</h2><p> They're made from sustainably produced wild rubber by a company called <a href="http://www.wildrubber.com/wild-things/condoms" target="_blank">Natex</a> that seeks to preserve the rainforest.</p><p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5ODkyNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzEyMjgwMX0.hTQSFVaU5MHL-BmDIvN6Fo5Iofu01kUNGTKWQKDenFY/img.jpg?width=980" id="3de6d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c3eaf75c9672b9d6532db855bdf333c7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p><p class="image-caption">Photo by Kambou Sia/Getty Images.</p><h2>These are the only condoms in the world made from wild rubber.</h2><p>Before you ask — no, Wild Rubber is not Gumby's new R-rated nickname (sadly). Wild rubber is sourced by local rubber tappers who make a point of preserving the trees from which they're tapping. Because, believe it or not, rubber comes from <em>trees</em>. Really.</p><p>Wild rubber has a long history in South America, where Amazonian tapping has been a profession since the 19th century. <strong>For decades, rubber tappers have been doing everything they can to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-rio-condoms-idUSKCN0ZK21E" target="_blank">stop deforestation</a></strong><strong> and protect their livelihood.</strong> Now, thanks to Natex and the Brazilian government, these local rubber tappers have strong support behind them.</p><h2>The company has enlisted over 700 tree-tapping families to help fulfill its quota of producing 100 million condoms per year. </h2><p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5ODkyOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NjIwMTM0NH0.8S_ShIDIGT0JcOVw3zxWuhxVFv5BYyAcJcDSyyr18H8/img.jpg?width=980" id="bc07b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="70d24c291aef240d1c42ae2ea7f3e81f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p><p class="image-caption">Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba<span class="redactor-invisible-space">/Getty Images.</span></p><p>Natex pays these families far above market value for the rubber they procure — <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/brazils-amazon-region-houses-latex-love-factory-161834739.html#n0TKPTZ" target="_blank">270% above to be exact.</a> The Natex factory is located in Xapuri in the Amazonian state of Acre, which is also where famous conservationist <a href="https://www.edf.org/climate/chico-mendes-legacy" target="_blank">Chico Mendes</a> was gunned down trying to stop deforestation.</p><h2>Just to show you how awesome it is that rubber comes from trees, check out these photos of rubber tappers at work:<br></h2><p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5ODkyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NDM2MjA5NX0._QmJtp1SbpR7CizSF5_T8OFWx7dXR-NgjGmSkU9H2Wg/img.jpg?width=980" id="cae84" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b0492a0ecb43d421d3265f69e5cda57e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p><p class="image-caption">Making diagonal cuts to release the rubber. Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba<span class="redactor-invisible-space">/Getty Images.</span></p><p><span></span></p><p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5ODkzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NjYyODg4NH0.Ru2srjHoK5jUEteDzwRLutTzTY2yGCf6H-Et6DPwRhs/img.jpg?width=980" id="d48e2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="17e57d9dd64fff6dc4141bece279661d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p><p class="image-caption">It takes all day for the rubber to collect in a bucket. Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba<span class="redactor-invisible-space">/Getty Images.</span></p><p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ5ODkzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzQyMTU0MH0.pqo9tVvvrsxfjg27Q8KPzHrVrcRd1ZR2NigMJlFrO3o/img.jpg?width=980" id="07764" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cf356a26fdbffbbf4b38370ed67914c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p><p class="image-caption">Tappers tap 100 trees a day on average. Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/gavinkwhite/5480695970/in/photolist-9gZfot-dzTgnD-9fibfS-9feXBM-8gLE5P-m5zba-9sr3sc-9FRxKz-ns8xg5-b6NtBH-AURxe-dTTmN6-fLKnHd-9wkijz-5oGYfh-51Fz3z-ohGk5e-EUbmE2-k2UTs2-qs4djx-6fTHAN-51FyKH-KJbXh-5N8PnS-b6NtNi-77dm4W-4iz4t8-9wkhyk-6Sxw54-xwHjf-6vnnus-6vnpUj-5LVRK-xwHsP-xwHEN-4SjtgE-5c4dw5-ocA3dT-9mfW56-ocA368-bxFyzB-9miZY7-4YqNVN-aYNBna-8gLEbg-8gLDWR-5EGkHu-mZUfv-9feUVt-HD2t9" target="_blank">Gavin White/Flickr</a>.</p><p><img src="//i.upworthy.com/nugget/577d653d5dfa5f002e000016/attachments/GettyImages-459677894-934a30490cc88cbc9983c09e6bd92c48.jpg" style="opacity: 0.5;"></p><p class="image-caption">Condoms being forged from natural rubber. Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba<span class="redactor-invisible-space">/Getty Images.</span></p><h2>Sure, wild rubber condoms can't be made as quickly as synthetic condoms, but they're far superior in quality. </h2><p><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/amazon-condoms-to-preserve-forests-and-reduce-imports-in-brazil.html" target="_blank">They're stronger</a> because they're manufactured with fewer minerals. And, according to Natex, latex made from natural rubber is much smoother. So Olympics enthusiasts in Rio this summer can safely <em>get their freak on</em> without worrying about a faulty condom leading to Zika-related birth defects.</p><h2>Not to mention Natex's condom factory is providing hundreds of jobs while minimizing its impact on the Amazon.</h2><p>Brazil may not have it totally together, especially when it comes to the logistics of hosting a worldwide event like the Olympics, but they wrote the book on sustainable prophylactics. As such, they will be doling out the <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/fivering_circus/2016/05/a_history_of_condoms_in_the_olympic_village_from_8_500_in_seoul_to_450_000.html" target="_blank">l</a><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/fivering_circus/2016/05/a_history_of_condoms_in_the_olympic_village_from_8_500_in_seoul_to_450_000.html" target="_blank">argest condom supply</a> in the history of the Olympic Games.</p><p>And since the Olympic villages are <a href="http://time.com/7554/a-brief-history-of-sex-at-the-olympics/" target="_blank">infamous for rampant randy behavior</a>, athletes and guests attending this year's Olympic Games may have actually found their most complimentary hosting city.</p>
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