Scores of people have been killed over the years trying to protect the forest, most notably the internationally known environmentalist and rubber tapper Chico Mendes. Barros spoke with pride about the fierce fight he and other sustainable rubber tappers wage to maintain their craft. "Our condom factory, aside from guaranteeing a fair price for the rubber, employs hundreds," he said. By Ricardo MoraesXAPURI, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's government will hand out 9 million condoms for free around Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics in August, a push meant to encourage safe sex and also defend the Amazon rainforest. His 1988 murder in Xapuri, where the condom factory now stands, helped galvanize the government to take serious measures to battle deforestation and the violence against Amazon defenders.

Source: Huffington Post July 05, 2016 17:09 UTC