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Most of us associate Aveda with beauty and fabulous smells — and rightly so — but they don't stop at shampoo and facial cleansers. One of the most effective hair, body, and skin care treatments doesn't come in a lovely 16-oz Aveda bottle. It’s water, and you drink it. Of course, Aveda knows this, so they're doing their share to raise money to bring clean water (and beauty) to the world. This month, they've been on a mission to raise $2.3 million for clean water rights.

See below: 

NEW YORK (April 2008)-Aveda's 2008 Earth Month campaign boldly declares the urgent need to protect clean water rights across the globe-and empowers Aveda network professionals and guests with tools for creating change and making a difference. Building on the record-breaking success of Aveda Earth Month 2007, this year's campaign launches strategic global and local projects to help provide clean water to those people most in need around the world.

Aveda's fundraising goal for 2008 is to raise $2.3 million during the month of April for global and local organizations working to support and preserve clean water. Targeted projects include:

• Brazil: the development of sustainable water systems, medicinal gardens, and the prevention of illegal fishing and logging on indigenous lands.
• Bulgaria: training and resources for local farmers in Bulgaria to convert to organic farming
• India: the building of sustainable water systems in nine villages, where local youth will be trained in the installation and maintenance of hand pump wells.

• South Africa: projects to help protect local communities from high levels of uranium discharged into their drinking water supply from a mine upstream.

In 2007, Aveda exceeded its Earth Month goal of $1.8 million by raising $2.1 million for clean water projects around the globe. Aveda continues its campaign for clean water in an effort to make a sustainable positive impact and to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility. Over the past nine years, the Aveda network has raised more than $8 million for environmental and social causes through its Earth Month campaigns.

 

GLOBAL PARTNER. For the second consecutive year, Aveda has joined with Global Greengrants Fund as their exclusive global Earth Month partner to provide grants for community-based water projects around the world, with a special focus on regions where Aveda sources ingredients. An international organization dedicated to environmental justice and sustainability, Global Greengrants Fund provides small grants to grassroots organizations working for clean water, clean air, sustainable livelihoods and healthy communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America and island nations around the world. Select local fundraising efforts along with sales from the limited edition Light the Way^TM Earth Month candle will help support Aveda's donation to Global Greengrants Fund. www.greengrants.org

 
LOCAL ACTIONS. LOCAL RESULTS.  In addition to global-scale Earth Month projects, Aveda's network will embark upon local campaigns to support regional partners. During the month of April, Aveda Salons, Spas, Experience Centers and Institutes will hold fundraising events that directly support a local partner working to support clean water.

LIMITED EDITION CANDLE. Aveda's 2008 Earth Month campaign also includes the launch of a limited edition Light the Way^TM soy wax candle, made with an aroma of certified organic Bulgarian lavender oil. By purchasing the $10 Earth Month candle, consumers will support Aveda's donation of $700,000 to Global Greengrants Fund as part of its global efforts to help make clean water a human right and to support of grassroots clean water projects for those people most in need. 

Light the Way^TM also sheds light on the importance of ingredient traceability from soil to bottle^TM and Aveda's ingredient sourcing partners globally. The Company's partnership with the Enio Bonchev Distillery to source the certified organic Bulgarian lavender oil in the candle is an example of benefit sharing-at both ends of the supply chain-while caring for the Earth.

Light the Way^TM also features award-winning environmentally responsible packaging: the candle is contained in 95% post-consumer recycled (PCR) glass and the outer carton is printed with soy ink on 100% recycled sheets of carton stock previously used by Aveda to prepare its printing press. Called "make-readies," these sheets of paperboard are typically thrown away-or at best recycled. In Aveda's environmental commitment to "reuse and recycle," all Light the Way^TM candle packaging is made of 100% "make-readies." This packaging received an AmeriStar Award and 3M Integrity Award (by the Institute of Packaging Professionals, IoPP) for its innovative and environmentally-conscious design.

SUPPORT ORGANIC FARMING FOR CLEAN WATER. In addition to funds raised by the candle, support of organic farming also helps protect clean water. Organic farming helps protect clean water by reducing contamination of ground and surface water from chemicals and pesticides. 

• Conventional agriculture is responsible for 48% of stream and water pollution.*
• Organic farming reduces agricultural water pollution.
• Organic farming reduces local and regional ground water pollution.
• 90% of Aveda's essential oils and 89% of Aveda's raw herbal ingredients are certified organic.

 
^{* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Rivers and Streams," in National Water Quality Inventory: Report 2000}