CBC News, October 15, 2020

B.C. NDP’s pledge of free birth control followed by Liberals, Greens

“We were really excited,” Phelps Bondaroff said. The group, although non-partisan, helped pass the policy at an NDP convention in 2017, the first step to getting it to an election platform.

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“It’s long overdue. Every single party should have it in their platform.”

CBC News, October 15, 2020

BC Liberal candidate compares free contraception to eugenics

The chair of Access B.C., a group campaigning for free prescription contraception, says Throness's comments were misogynistic and show how out of touch he is. 

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​"When you oppose actions that try and increase access to [contraception], especially in the way Mr. Throness did, you're basically saying women don't have the ability to make choices about things that happen to their body, and that's unacceptable."

Vernon Morning Star, October 15, 2020

Vernon 10th in B.C. to endorse free birth control

“Programs that offer universal no-cost prescription contraception not only make life more affordable for people, but they save governments money because the cost of offering prescription contraception at no cost is considerably lower than the costs associated with unintended pregnancy,” AccessBC chair and co-founder Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff said.

Victoria News, October 14, 2020

B.C. NDPs free birth control pledge a win for equality, will pay for itself: advocates

Phelps Bondaroff said that while free contraception from the province comes with a price tag, a 2010 report from Options for Sexual Health – a organization that offers low-cost, or free, access to sexual health and gynaecological services – found that for every dollar spent on contraception, the government saves $90 on social support programs. In total, the report estimates that the government could save approximately $95 million per year with a free birth control policy.

CHEK News, Oct. 4, 2020

Little Free Libraries in Greater Victoria brings people near and far together

Teale Phelps Bondaroff of the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network says there are more than 360 Little Free Libraries scattered throughout the region. “Little Free Libraries build community. They connect people. They create a hub for folks to meet, for people to connect, and not just around books,” said Phelps Bondaroff.  “It’s around meeting folks, and talking.  And whether that’s on-line or in person, they’re absolutely magical pieces of placemaking.”

The Hindustan Times, Sept. 26, 2020

13 times rise in quantity of sea cucumber seizures from India over five years: Study

Between January and August 2020, 11 cases were reported, 15 persons were arrested, and 9,016kg of sea cucumbers worth ₹9.58 crore (US$1.3 million) was seized. Consignments were a mix of live, processed (dry and wet), and semi-processed sea cucumbers.

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“There has been a significant increase in sea cucumber poaching and smuggling in the south of India recently, with Lakshadweep and Tamil Nadu now global hot spots,” said Dr Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research, OceansAsia.

Yam Magazine, September 24, 2020

Find 350+ Little Free Libraries in Victoria B.C.

These wholesome community features are what the CRD calls, ‘Little free Libraries’ – aka LFLs – and they can be found throughout the city in all shapes and sizes.

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“Victorians love LFLs,” says Teale Phelps Bondaroff, Pocket Places Project Lead and Greater Victoria Placemaking Network (GVPN) volunteer board member, “The city has the highest density of LFLs in Canada, and the pace at which Victorians have been installing LFLs is rapid –  the 300th LFL was only set up in June of this year!”

The Tyee, September 12, 2020

Is Free Contraception Finally Coming to BC?

Black and Phelps Bondaroff say universal no-cost contraception won’t eliminate embedded social and economic barriers to access right away, but it would help reduce stigma and open up conversations around reproductive health.

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“When you make prescription contraception universally available at no cost, you are also helping with education and removing some of the stigma and barriers around discussing contraception and sexual health,” said Phelps Bondaroff. 

CGTN, September 11, 2020

Disposable face masks may pose environmental threat

The danger posed by waste plastics to marine life is well documented. "Estimates suggest that more than 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and over a million seabirds are killed by marine plastic annually," Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of Research at OceansAsia, told Energy Live News. "Marine plastic absorbs toxins, which results in it poisoning animals that accidentally ingest it."

Hakai Magazine, July 16, 2020

When the Day’s Catch Includes Cocaine and Heroin

Vast, unpatrolled oceans provide ideal cover for these illicit activities. Even with the advent of satellite surveillance, “we don’t have the capacity to monitor the ocean as effectively as we’d like,” says Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research at nonprofit OceansAsia and an expert in fisheries crime who was not involved in the study. The high seas are hotspots for organized crime, as are the waters of developing countries with low enforcement capacity, he says. “Where governance is poor, crime will flourish.”

Times Colonist, July 2, 2020

Comment: Let’s reimagine our streets, and give pedestrians priority

Join us in encouraging your mayor and council to reimagine our streets and public spaces to give pedestrians priority. Let’s take this chance to re-animate our public spaces and breathe new life into our cities and towns.

China Dialogue, June 10, 2020

Why are porpoise deaths on the rise in Hong Kong?

It is unlikely that the population can sustain such high levels of mortality, says Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research for Oceans Asia, a non-profit based in Hong Kong.

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“The last population survey in 2002 identified 220 porpoises. We’ve had more than that many die since then,” says Phelps Bondaroff, author of the new report. “The fact that we have a high percentage of the population potentially being killed each year is alarming.”

CTV News, December 18, 2019

Victoria cycling group working to measure air, noise pollution

According to Burger, air and noise pollution collected on street level has shown that separated bike lanes are a valuable resource to cyclists, not only as a safety measure, but also because it provides a barrier from the pollutions that vehicles emit, including exhaust and tire dust. The closer someone is to the source of an air pollutant, like an exhaust pipe, the worse it is for the health of that person.