Featured Stories
Yosemite for Sale? NPCA Objects to Alarming New Report
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSxrep) -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release:
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Yosemite for Sale? NPCA Objects to Alarming New Report
National Parks Conservation Association issued the following response to the alarming news first reported by NOTUS, that the Trump administration is actively working to parcel off a corner of Yosemite, for a hotel developer to build an access road.
Statement from Mark Rose, Senior Sierra Nevada Program Manager for National Parks Conservation Association
"The Trump administration's attempts to dismantle America's conservation
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSxrep) -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release:
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Yosemite for Sale? NPCA Objects to Alarming New Report
National Parks Conservation Association issued the following response to the alarming news first reported by NOTUS, that the Trump administration is actively working to parcel off a corner of Yosemite, for a hotel developer to build an access road.
Statement from Mark Rose, Senior Sierra Nevada Program Manager for National Parks Conservation Association
"The Trump administration's attempts to dismantle America's conservationlegacy are now taking aim at Yosemite with this secretive, backroom deal that would turn over Park Service land to a private developer. This is an attack on the American people that own this national park. It would also be unlawful, and a court previously rejected a road development proposal.
"The National Park Service needs to get back to prioritizing conservation, not helping bulldoze land, cut down trees, threaten Yosemite's wildlife and increase wildfire risks.
Yosemite is already facing an overcrowding crisis due to years of run-away lodging overdevelopment outside of the park and the terrible decision to get rid of this year's vehicle reservation system. A massive commercial development that can only be accessed from inside the park's gates will further exacerbate the chaos we've seen in Yosemite this year."
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
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Original text here: https://www.npca.org/articles/11498-yosemite-for-sale-npca-objects-to-alarming-new-report
[Category: Environment]
Save the Children: Nepal Flash Floods - Rescuers Race to Find Survivors With Areas Still Cut Off
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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NEPAL FLASH FLOODS: Rescuers race to find survivors with areas still cut off
KATHMANDU - Rescuers are racing to find survivors in the flash flood-devastated areas of Northern Nepal, as Save the Children delivers emergency aid to families, with many places still only accessible by helicopter.
The disaster in the Rasuwa region struck at a time when children were either on their way
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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NEPAL FLASH FLOODS: Rescuers race to find survivors with areas still cut off
KATHMANDU - Rescuers are racing to find survivors in the flash flood-devastated areas of Northern Nepal, as Save the Children delivers emergency aid to families, with many places still only accessible by helicopter.
The disaster in the Rasuwa region struck at a time when children were either on their wayto school or starting lessons. Many children in the area travel long distances to school - areas that are now cut off by flood waters, potentially separating them from their families or caregivers. Damage to phone and internet infrastructure is making it challenging for families to contact relatives.
Families are finding shelter wherever they can. Some have moved in with relatives; others are living in public buildings such as community centers. Access to clean water has been severely disrupted across the district.
Save the Children staff working in the flood affected areas say there are significant challenges in reaching communities in need of aid. Roads have been blocked or flooded, and severe traffic congestion is slowing rescue and relief efforts as some people flee affected areas and others travel towards them to support rescue operations.
As the number of people confirmed dead rises, hundreds of people are still reported missing. The massive flash floods came without warning, sweeping through communities in the mountainous region and leaving behind destroyed homes and buildings, broken bridges and a sea of mud and debris.
Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children in Nepal, said:
"Children's lives changed in an instant. Some have lost their homes and belongings and a sense of security. For a child, losing a home is not just losing a building, it is losing the place where they feel safe.
"In the aftermath of a disaster like this, children are among the most vulnerable and face heightened risks to their health, safety, protection, and wellbeing. They will be confused and distressed after witnessing such devastation. Identifying any separated or unaccompanied children must be a priority for the rescue and response teams.
"While immediate assistance is urgently needed, the response cannot stop with emergency supplies. There will be no quick recovery for many of these communities and children and families will need sustained support well beyond the first days and weeks of this crisis, to meet their urgent needs, rebuild their lives, return to school and recover from this devastating disaster.
"Flexible funding is critical. It will allow us and our local partners to respond to longer term needs as the situation evolves, while investing in recovery and resilience so communities can rebuild safer and stronger."
Save the Children in Nepal's emergency response team is working in the affected areas and delivering essential items, including household and cooking kits, mosquito nets and blankets to 1,000 households in the first phase of assistance.
The humanitarian and child rights organization is coordinating with national and local authorities to establish the immediate and long-term needs of children and families and is ready to scale up its response.
Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The organization runs programs spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty.
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/nepal-floods-rescuers-survivors-areas-cut-off
[Category: Sociological]
Plastic Pollution Coalition: The Plastic We Wear - Hidden Fibers, Chemical Dyes, and the Future of Clean Textiles
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSrep) -- The Plastic Pollution Coalition issued the following statement on Aug. 28, 2026:
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The Plastic We Wear: Hidden Fibers, Chemical Dyes, and the Future of Clean Textiles
Summary
More than half of all clothing sold worldwide is made from synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels, and that amount is increasing.
* Washing synthetic clothing releases hundreds of thousands to millions of microplastic fibers per load, many of which are not captured by wastewater treatment and instead are often discharged directly into waterways.
* Synthetic dyes and chemical finishes
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSrep) -- The Plastic Pollution Coalition issued the following statement on Aug. 28, 2026:
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The Plastic We Wear: Hidden Fibers, Chemical Dyes, and the Future of Clean Textiles
Summary
More than half of all clothing sold worldwide is made from synthetic fibers derived from fossil fuels, and that amount is increasing.
* Washing synthetic clothing releases hundreds of thousands to millions of microplastic fibers per load, many of which are not captured by wastewater treatment and instead are often discharged directly into waterways.
* Synthetic dyes and chemical finishesused on many mass-produced textiles have been linked to skin irritation and allergic contact dermatitis.
* Natural fibers paired with plant dyes offer a practical, lower-impact alternative, and transparency tools like AIZOME's Textile Health Facts label are helping consumers make more informed choices.
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When we think about sources of plastic pollution, most of us picture water bottles, shopping bags, or food packaging. But one of the largest sources of plastic pollution may already be hanging in our closets: synthetic fibers.
Today, synthetic fibers, such as acrylic, nylon, polyester, and spandex, account for roughly 69% of global textile fiber production, with polyester alone making up 59%, according to Textile Exchange's 2025 Materials Market Report (https://transition-pathways.europa.eu/textiles/library-and-support-resources/materials-market-report-2025-tracking-global-fibre-and-raw). These materials are derived from fossil fuels and are, quite literally, types of plastic. While they may look and feel harmless, they come with significant environmental and health concerns that many consumers are only beginning to understand.
We think it's time to ask: what are our clothes really made of, and what happens when we wear, wash, and dispose of them?
The Hidden Problem With Synthetic Textiles
Shedding at the Source
Every time synthetic clothing is washed, it sheds tiny threadlike plastic particles known as microfibers. These microscopic fibers are too small to be reliably captured by many wastewater treatment systems and are commonly discharged into rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water.
Peer-reviewed research backs this up. A widely cited 2016 study in Marine Pollution Bulletin found that an average 6-kilogram (13.2 pounds) wash load of synthetic fabrics can release over 700,000 microfibers in a single cycle. A 2021 study in PLOS ONE measured a similarly wide range, from roughly 8,800 to more than 6.8 million microfibers per wash, depending on fabric type and construction, with fleece and mechanically-treated polyester shedding the most.
Unlike organic matter, plastic doesn't biodegrade. Instead, it fragments into smaller and smaller pieces that persist in the environment. Over time, these fibers accumulate in the environment and our bodies, and have been detected in drinking water, food, human brains and blood, soils, and much more. Researchers at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found measurable plastic particles in the blood of 77% of the 22 donors tested in a 2022 study published in Environment International, the first confirmed detection of plastic circulating in the human bloodstream.
It's Not Just the Fiber
The fiber itself is only part of the story. Many mass-produced textiles are colored using synthetic dyes and treated with chemical finishes designed to improve wrinkle resistance, stain resistance, moisture management, or durability.
For some people, these chemicals can cause skin irritation. DermNet NZ and dermatology literature dating back to a foundational 1995 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology have linked certain textile dyes -- particularly disperse blue dyes commonly used in dark synthetic fabrics -- to itching, rashes, and allergic contact dermatitis, especially in areas where clothing fits closely against the skin, such as the neck, waist, underarms, and thighs.
This doesn't mean every synthetic garment will cause a reaction. But it does highlight a broader issue: most consumers have very little information about the chemicals used to make and finish the textiles they wear every day.
We carefully read ingredient labels on food. We often check ingredient lists in skincare products. Yet clothing and bedding, which can remain in contact with our skin for hours at a time, typically come with little more than a fiber percentage and washing instructions.
Natural Fibers: A Sustainable Alternative
One of the most promising solutions to plastic pollution from textiles lies in a return to natural fibers, such as organic cotton, hemp, and linen. These materials offer a significantly improved environmental and health profile:
* Renewably sourced, derived from plants rather than fossil fuels.
* No microplastic shedding, since natural fibers don't release plastic particles during washing.
* Compatible with plant dyes, enabling reduced reliance on the synthetic dyes commonly used throughout the textile industry.
* Biodegradable at end of life, returning safely to the earth instead of persisting in landfills for decades.
While natural fibers have clear health and environmental benefits, they compete against synthetic products from petroleum, which is heavily subsidized and makes plastic fibers artificially cheap. Beyond cost, a major challenge for the natural fibers industry has been transparency -- helping consumers actually see what's in the textiles they buy.
A Breakthrough: AIZOME's Textile Health Facts
Companies like AIZOME are pioneering a new era of textile transparency with Textile Health Facts -- a label inspired by the familiar Nutrition Facts panel found on food packaging.
Unlike the fiber-percentage tags typically found on clothing, Textile Health Facts is designed to:
* Disclose fiber content, clearly and in plain language.
* List dye ingredients, so consumers know what's actually touching their skin.
* Make information accessible, without replacing existing certifications or making health claims.
* Surface certifications and traceability, connecting the finished garment back to its source.
The goal isn't to diagnose or promise outcomes; it's to help consumers ask better questions about the products they buy. Just as food labels helped people better understand what they eat, textile transparency could help people better understand what they wear.
Your Purchasing Power Can Help Create Systems Change
Consumers hold real power in shaping the future of textiles. By choosing natural fibers, supporting nontoxic plant dyes, and looking for credible, transparent labeling, shoppers send a message to the industry that safety and honesty are no longer optional -- they're expected.
Most synthetic textiles are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills or are openly dumped and burned, causing significant pollution for nearby communities. Natural fibers, free from plastic blends and harmful chemical finishes, offer a different path: longer-lasting materials with the ability to biodegrade at the end of their useful life instead of becoming long-term waste. This is one of the core principles of a circular economy: designing products that work with natural systems rather than against them.
Natural-fiber clothing, when thoughtfully designed and cared for, can be long-lasting. Repairing worn pieces can extend their useful life even further, whether through traditional techniques such as sashiko ("visible mending") or patch embroidery, or contemporary repair services.
Clothing and bedding are often the overlooked part of the plastic pollution conversation. But the long-term goal is bigger than simply replacing one material with another. It's building a textile system rooted in transparency, accountability, and true circularity, where products are designed to leave behind neither plastic pollution nor unnecessary chemical residues.
The future of clean textiles begins with understanding what's in the products we wear every day. And that future starts with transparency.
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Original text here: https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2026/8/27/the-plastic-we-wear-hidden-fibers-chemical-dyes-and-the-future-of-clean-textiles
[Category: Industrial Materials]
Nepal Floods: Schoolchildren Reunited With Families After Being Stranded--Save the Children
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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NEPAL FLOODS: Schoolchildren Reunited with Families After Being Stranded--Save the Children
KATHMANDU - Nine school children have been reunited with their families after being stranded at school for two days by the devastating flash floods in Northern Nepal, as rescue efforts continue to reach other students, Save the Children said.
The children arrived at an aid distribution point
... Show Full Article
WESTPORT, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- Save the Children, an organization that says it is giving children a healthy start in life, opportunity to learn and protection from harm, posted the following news release:
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NEPAL FLOODS: Schoolchildren Reunited with Families After Being Stranded--Save the Children
KATHMANDU - Nine school children have been reunited with their families after being stranded at school for two days by the devastating flash floods in Northern Nepal, as rescue efforts continue to reach other students, Save the Children said.
The children arrived at an aid distribution pointwhere Save the Children is working after walking from their school. Many children in the area travel long distances to their schools and were cut off in the aftermath of the massive surge of floodwater. With support from Save the Children, they were able to find their families.
At least 69 schools in flood-devastated districts in Northern Nepal have been destroyed or damaged, putting education at risk for nearly 19,000 children, Save the Children said.[1]
The figures are based on an initial assessment and are likely to rise as rescue and response teams reach more areas and more information is available from affected communities.[1]
Save the Children staff in Nuwakot said children in the devastated communities are holding onto the few belongings they have or searching for what they lost, including schoolbooks and uniforms.
Fears of further flooding are also causing new terror with families moving to higher ground. For many children, this is the first disaster of this scale they have experienced, and they are frightened, distressed and worried about their futures.
More than 500 people have died in Nepal in the disaster, and hundreds are still missing. Some families are camping in tents in front of their damaged homes as efforts continue to find survivors, while others are living with relatives or in community centers.
Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children in Nepal said:
"Reuniting children with their families in the aftermath of a catastrophe is an urgent and immediate priority, so when disaster strikes, getting children back to school may not seem like the most urgent need. Education is vital. For children who have lost their homes, their belongings and their sense of security, a safe place to learn can be a lifeline.
"School gives children something that is desperately important after a disaster: safety, routine, stability. It can help children cope with what they have experienced, while connecting them with the support they need.
"Education cannot wait until the emergency is over - it needs to be part of the response from day one."
Save the Children in Nepal's emergency response team is working in the affected areas and delivering essential items, including household and cooking kits, mosquito nets and blankets to 1,000 households in the first phase of assistance.
The humanitarian and child rights organization is coordinating with national and local authorities to establish the immediate and long-term needs of children and families and is ready to scale up its response.
Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The organization runs programs spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty.
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Footnotes:
[1] Figures from the Education Cluster - a joint group of NGOs, UN and the Government of Nepal. The group is co-chaired by Save the Children. The 69 schools have 18,918 students enrolled (9,350 girls and 9,568 boys).
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
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Original text here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2026-press-releases/nepal-floods-schoolchildren-reunited-with-families
[Category: Sociological]
International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers Issues Letter to Congressional Leadership
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 [Category: Engineering] (TNSletter) -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers posted the following letter to the Congressional leadership:
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Here is the text of the letter:
August 26, 2026
Hon. Susan Collins, Chair
Appropriations Committee
United States Senate
S-128 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
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Hon. Tom Cole, Chair
Appropriations Committee
United States House of Representatives
H-307 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
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Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member
Appropriations Committee
United States Senate
S-146A The Capitol
Washington,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 [Category: Engineering] (TNSletter) -- The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers posted the following letter to the Congressional leadership:
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Here is the text of the letter:
August 26, 2026
Hon. Susan Collins, Chair
Appropriations Committee
United States Senate
S-128 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
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Hon. Tom Cole, Chair
Appropriations Committee
United States House of Representatives
H-307 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
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Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member
Appropriations Committee
United States Senate
S-146A The Capitol
Washington,DC 20510
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Hon. Rosa DeLauro, Ranking Member
Appropriations Committee
United States House of Representatives
1036 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
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Dear Chair Collins, Chair Cole, Vice Chair Murray, and Ranking Member DeLauro:
As the Executive Officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), representing 90,000 workers in the private sector, public sector, and federal government across North America, we are writing to urge you to work together to block the Trump Administration's latest implementation of tariffs on Canada. This latest attack on our number one ally through a punitive tariff policy will do great harm to working families on both sides of the border. In particular, we ask you, as the respective leaders of the all-powerful Senate and House appropriations committees, to use your power of the purse to defund the ability of the Trump Administration to implement these latest tariffs and all future tariffs pertaining to Canada moving forward.
This February, the Supreme Court struck down the ability of the Trump Administration to implement tariffs by the erroneous use of the national emergency designation under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Senate and the House, to their credit, passed resolutions blocking the ability of the administration to use the emergency designation to impose tariffs on Canada. Despite these strong oversight measures on abuse of executive power, the Administration is now taking the unprecedented step of using Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 which permits 50% tariffs on countries that impose, "unequal impositions or discriminations" on American goods and services. Here again, the administration is unjustly and illegally implementing this latest round of tariffs on Canada, a nation that is not engaging in either unequal impositions or discriminations on any American products. Quite the contrary, Canada is a party to the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA), a 2019 agreement that was not only negotiated by the first Trump Administration, but one that has governed trade between our three North American nations for nearly seven years. However, the current Trump Administration is deciding to undermine the progress made through the USMCA by imposing tariffs.
To be clear, IFPTE has long supported strategically applied tariffs that help to bring a level of fairness to working families when countries violate trade pacts and engage in unfair trade practices. Canada does not fall into this category. In fact, Canada is America's closest ally and number one trading partner. This trading relationship uplifts American and Canadian working families alike. Make no mistake, imposing reckless tariffs on Canadian imports will do harm to both the U.S. and Canadian economies and do even greater harm to working families on both sides of the border. Just as the Senate and House did with passage of S.J. Res.37, S.J. Res.77 and H.J.Res.72, Congress must once again step in now to block this reckless and destructive policy.
Therefore, IFPTE urges you all to block this latest attack on our Canadian siblings by defunding the implementation of the Canada tariff policy in the continuing resolution Congress is expected to pass in the next several weeks.
Thank you for your consideration. Should you have any questions please contact IFPTE legislative director, Faraz Khan at fkhan@ifpte.org.
Sincerely,
Matthew S. Biggs, President
Gay Henson, Secretary-Treasurer
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Original text here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5dfbdfa81e1a9011a52b2327/t/6a905ae3287ca31a8c19c101/1787845347409/IFPTE_DefundTrumpTariffsOnCanada_26Aug2026_FINAL_2.pdf
News Release here: https://www.ifpte.org/news/ifpte-letter-to-congress-requests-defunding-of-tariffs-on-canda
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Elder Stevenson Meets Peruvian President to Discuss Strengthening Families and Communities
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 29 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Elder Stevenson Meets Peruvian President to Discuss Strengthening Families and Communities
The conversation touched on peacemaking, humanitarian service, disaster preparedness and support for vulnerable families
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Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori Higuchi on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the Government Palace in Lima.
During the meeting,
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 29 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Elder Stevenson Meets Peruvian President to Discuss Strengthening Families and Communities
The conversation touched on peacemaking, humanitarian service, disaster preparedness and support for vulnerable families
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Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori Higuchi on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the Government Palace in Lima.
During the meeting,Elder Stevenson conveyed greetings from the Church's First Presidency and described the faith's worldwide mission to help individuals live the gospel of Jesus Christ, care for those in need and strengthen families and communities. He noted that Church members are encouraged to support and sustain their governments, obey the laws of the land and contribute positively to their neighborhoods, schools and civic life.
Elder Stevenson and President Fujimori also discussed the importance of peacemaking in an increasingly divided world.
"We teach members of our Church to strive to become peacemakers," the Apostle said. He explained that peacemaking begins in the hearts of individuals and families and extends to neighborhoods and communities.
President Fujimori discussed some of her administration's priorities for addressing the population's needs, including preparedness and response efforts related to the potential effects of El Nino on Peruvian families.
In that context, Elder Stevenson shared the Church's experience in humanitarian aid and emergency response initiatives. Just days earlier, he had ministered to members affected by a devastating earthquake in neighboring Colombia and met with civic leaders to discuss relief and long-term recovery. He and President Fujimori also discussed the Church's efforts to help improve child nutrition in various parts of Peru, in collaboration with other organizations and the Ministry of Health.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Elder Stevenson presented President Fujimori with a copy of the Book of Mormon and explained that it is another testament of Jesus Christ. Elder Juan Pablo Villar of the Church's South America Northwest Area Presidency explained that the Book of Mormon contains an account of ancient inhabitants of the Americas and describes Jesus Christ's personal visit to the American continent following His Resurrection.
Elder Stevenson was accompanied by Elder Villar and Guillermo Estrugo, Area Communication and Publishing Director for the Church.
Also representing the Peruvian government was Marco Antonio Vinelli Ruiz, minister of Agrarian Development and Irrigation. He chairs the National Commission for Risk Management of the El Nino Phenomenon.
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Original text here: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-stevenson-peruvian-president
[Category: Religion]
Born Free USA Issues Commentary: Virginia School Fire Reminds Us Why We Should Not Keep Exotic Classroom Pets
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Born Free USA issued the following commentary:
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Virginia School Fire Reminds Us Why We Should Not Keep Exotic Classroom Pets
By Devan Schowe in Animals in Captivity, Blog, Captive Exotic Animals, Exotic Pets on August 28, 2026
Recently, a news story broke detailing the events of an overnight fire that broke out at Bedford County Middle School in Virginia. Upon entering the school, firefighters responding to the emergency were forced to encounter an unexpected obstacle in addition to quickly initiating disaster-response protocol: an eight-foot-long python
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Born Free USA issued the following commentary:
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Virginia School Fire Reminds Us Why We Should Not Keep Exotic Classroom Pets
By Devan Schowe in Animals in Captivity, Blog, Captive Exotic Animals, Exotic Pets on August 28, 2026
Recently, a news story broke detailing the events of an overnight fire that broke out at Bedford County Middle School in Virginia. Upon entering the school, firefighters responding to the emergency were forced to encounter an unexpected obstacle in addition to quickly initiating disaster-response protocol: an eight-foot-long pythonused as a classroom pet.
When the first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered water flowing from the second floor, visible flames, and smoke coming from windows. Luckily, the crew was able to safely secure the python, named Nanner, in a temporary holding area before extinguishing the fire. Nanner's owner, a life science teacher whose classroom caught fire, later arrived and returned her to the enclosure.
Cause of Fire that Led to Death of Tortoise Under Investigation
While the Bedford County fire investigator is still determining the cause of the fire, the Fire Marshal's Office believes the fire was started after Nanner escaped her cage and knocked over a heat lamp. In a desperate act to flee the cage to escape the flames, both metal locks on Nanner's enclosure had been bent, stretched, and eventually forced off. If Nanner had not been able to break out of the cage, she would have died in the fire, with no opportunity to escape burning to her death.
Not everyone in the classroom was as lucky as Nanner; another classroom pet, a tortoise named Bowser, sadly died in the fire, and a tank next to Nanner's cage melted completely. All other surviving animals have since been removed from the school and are staying with the teacher while being monitored for respiratory problems.
Perhaps most disturbing are the teacher's comments following the tragic incident: "I am devastated for many reasons right now -- all of my teaching tools are now gone, many children will now not have the opportunities that many others have had, 18 years of teaching material is gone. I never wanted this for my school, my admin, or my county." Referring to her classroom pets as "teaching tools" is a sad and highly disrespectful manner to refer to live animals, who have demonstrated the capacity to experience a wide range of emotions and sensations similar to humans, including fear and pain.
Research Shows Exotic Classroom Pets Teach Students the Wrong Things
Despite many schoolteachers' beliefs otherwise, research confirms that exotic classroom pets do not teach children the intended values of compassion, empathy, or responsibility. Instead, they teach children that removing a wild animal from their natural environment is not only acceptable, but encouraged, for the selfish, human-centered act of "learning," when the same could be done with virtual materials. Many popular classroom pets, including most reptiles, can live for several decades, have extremely complicated health, dietary, behavioral, and social needs that cannot be replicated in captivity, and are not conducive to the overstimulating environment of a children's classroom.
Animals in classrooms experience improper accommodation, lack appropriate mental/physical stimulation, and suffer from high stress levels, unnoticed diseases and injuries, and abuse and/or neglect. As demonstrated by the incident at Bedford County Middle School, keeping wild animals in unnaturally restrictive, artificial environments can pose a real danger to themselves, other animals, the surrounding environment, and humans.
How Born Free USA Works to Stop Animal Suffering in Schools
To help reduce the use of exotic animals in classrooms across the country, we developed an entirely free virtual classroom adoption program, featuring a real monkey from the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary named Freeman. The program tells Freeman's story, who was kept as a pet in a basement for several years before his rescue, through several chapters with activities and discussion questions to teach children about wildlife conservation, animal welfare, and protecting the natural environment.
Access the program here to help us get closer to a future that no longer forces undeserving wild animals to suffer in classrooms under the false pretense of "education."
For the Animals,
Devan Schowe, Campaigns Manager
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Original text here: https://www.bornfreeusa.org/2026/08/28/virginia-school-fire-reminds-us-why-we-should-not-keep-exotic-classroom-pets/
[Category: Environment]
