Dow Announces Next Stride in Commitment to Global Water Issue: The Dow Live Earth Run for Water
As part of Dow's long-standing commitment to help solve the global water crisis, we've pledged to use innovative events and unique partnerships to bring attention to the issue. Today in New York City, we are publically announcing our next step - our partnership with Live Earth to implement the largest worldwide water initiative in history, The Dow Live Earth Run for Water.
Taking place on April 18, 2010, the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is a series of 6km (3.72 miles) run/walks, concerts and water education activities in cities around the world, all aimed at inspiring the world's citizens to come together to help solve the water crisis. The distance of the run/walks is meaningful - it's the average distance women and children in many affected countries are forced to walk everyday to secure water.
The lack of safe, clean drinking water is an issue that touches countries, communities and families all over the world. One in eight people lacks access to this important resource. In communities in Africa, Latin America and Asia, there are over 1.5 million deaths every year from water-related diseases, mostly of children under five, and climate change is compounding these issues. Many other children in these regions have to stay home from school because either they are sick or have to spend their days walking far distances to obtain water. However, the water crisis is not limited to developing nations. In cities such as Los Angeles and Singapore City, growing demand on limited water supplies has led to enforced water rationing and increased costs to the public.
As Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris publicly reaffirmed during last month's Clinton Global Initiative, Dow has long been committed to helping solve this crisis. This includes reducing the amount of wastewater we produce and developing products and technology to improve access to clean water globally.
As Ian Barbour, general manager, Dow Water & Process Solutions, told supporters and media during this morning's announcement event, “At Dow, we are proud to say we are delivering the science behind a sustainable and plentiful supply of water for communities around the world… not someday, but today. We are bringing to the crisis what Dow does best-new technologies, unique processes, focused innovations and partnerships that can take people out of the peril they experience each and every day because they don't have enough clean water.”
In 2007, Dow sponsored the Blue Planet Run®, an around-the-world, 95-day, 15,200-mile relay run through 16 countries, to raise funds and awareness for the issue. This year, we've chosen to partner with Live Earth. Creator of the “Most Watched Online Entertainment Event Ever,” Live Earth was founded by Emmy-award-winning producer Kevin Wall on the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers and to activate the world community to combat our planet's climate crisis.
“Building on the massive success of the Live Earth: Concerts for a Climate in Crisis in 2007, the Dow Live Earth Run for Water will mobilize the global community once again to come together on one day and take action on one of the most serious environmental issues today, the global water crisis,” said Wall. “Water scarcity affects everyone whether they are aware of it or not, and the goal of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is to raise the profile of this issue, educate the world's citizens about its challenges and offer opportunities to be part of the solution.”
Liveris agrees the issue is a critical one requiring action. “As the world's recognized leader in developing innovative solutions for water treatment, Dow is a uniquely qualified and proud sponsor of this event,” Liveris said. “Dow products are used in everything from small-scale purification systems to the world's largest municipal water treatment facilities. As part of Dow's commitment to setting the Standard for Sustainability, we are driving breakthroughs that will significantly improve the world's ability to solve some of its most pressing challenges, including sustainable water supplies. We do so not only through the products we make but also the actions we take. Through our support of several global water-related NGOs, our product donations and the participation of Dow employees in direct-impact water projects, we are focused on being part of the solution. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water represents the strength of that commitment.”
Forty Dow Live Earth Run for Water cities were unveiled today, including Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cape Town, South Africa; Chicago, IL, USA; Hong Kong, China; Jimbaran, Bali, Indonesia; London, UK; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Manchester, UK; Melbourne, Australia; Mexico City, Mexico; Milan, Italy; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York, NY, USA; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Singapore City, Singapore; Stockholm, Sweden; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., USA. For a full list of Dow Live Earth Run for Water cities, visit Live Earth's web site. New cities will be added to this list leading up to April 18, 2010.
“Water scarcity is an issue that affects all of us, and we all have a responsibility to do our part to help solve this global crisis,” said actor and Dow Live Earth Run for Water supporter, Jessica Biel. “The beauty of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water is that it gives us a platform to encourage others to be part of the solution to help everyone have access to clean, safe drinking water.”
Biel was joined at the announcement by additional Dow Live Earth Run for Water supporters including: Alexandra Cousteau, water advocate and Live Earth Advisor; Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy band member, artist, activist and entrepreneur; Angelique Kidjo, Grammy Award-winning artist and UNICEF Ambassador; and Jenny Fletcher, an elite athlete who recently competed in the World Triathlon Championships and has been featured in Runners World magazine.
The Dow Live Earth Run for Water provides a unique way for Dow employees and retirees to come together to raise awareness and funds to address one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. The donations received will be disseminated via a global network of NGO (non-governmental organizations) partners to support water projects around the world directly benefiting communities in need.
Dow communities around the world will be commemorating the Dow Live Earth Run for Water in a variety of ways, including conducting “Friends of Live Earth” events on April 18. To date, 20 Friends of Live Earth events are confirmed to take place in cities around the world, including: Accra, Ghana; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Asunción, Paraguay; Bogotá, Colombia; Cotonou and Porto-Novo, Benin; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Santo Domingo, Santiago, Chile; Dominican Republic; Eldoret, Kenya; Kampala, Uganda; Lima, Peru; Lusaka, Zambia; Panama City, Panama; Praia, Cape Verde. Many more are expected to be added.
All Dow retirees are encouraged to get involved. Visit the Live Earth Web site to see events planned in your area. This list will be updated as we move into 2010. If there is not an event in your area, consider showing your support of Dow's sponsorship by signing-up to host a “Friends of Live Earth” event with your fellow retirees or in your community.
Stay tuned to Dow Friends for additional information about retiree-planned events as we approach the Dow Live Earth Run for Water on April 18, 2010.
