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Dow Recognizes World Environment Day

Dow Recognizes World Environment Day

Published 06-03-11

Submitted by OLD - Dow Chemical Company

The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: Dow) joins thousands of people across the globe in recognizing World Environment Day on June 5, a day that drives awareness of the environment, and recognizes the importance of collaboration between businesses, government, non-governmental organizations and academia to drive sustainable development worldwide. Established by the United Nations in 1972, World Environment Day addresses a different issue that affects the environment each year. This year's theme is Forests: Nature at your Service, intended to underscore the important role forests play in sustaining life, controlling climate change and contributing to economic growth around the world.

"Dow supports World Environment Day and the United Nations' effort to create awareness around global environmental issues, including forest preservation," said Neil Hawkins, Dow's vice president of Sustainability and EH&S. "We are committed to fostering biodiversity by creating meaningful partnerships that advance sustainable development and environmentally-aware communities."

Partners for Change

Ecosystem preservation is a key driver of Dow's global business strategy and impacts the way the company approaches everything from its manufacturing footprint to product development to philanthropy.

  • Through Dow's breakthrough collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the company will demonstrate the power of factoring the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services into corporate decision-making. Dow also partners with The Nature Conservancy on the Cachoeira Restoration Project, an effort to help protect and restore crucial areas of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, which is home to more than 20,000 species. Dow's financial support - and the time and resources of its employees - are helping restore 865 acres surrounding the Cachoeira reservoir and sequester an estimated 115,600 tons of carbon dioxide over 30 years to help mitigate climate change.
  • Dow's Neil Hawkins will participate in the 4th Annual World Economic and Environmental Conference taking place from June 18 to June 21 in Qingdao, China. Sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and International Energy Conservation Environmental Protection Association, the event brings together thousands of global thought leaders dedicated to driving solutions for how developing countries can progress more sustainably. Hawkins will participate in a variety of panels and forums, and deliver a keynote address on "The Business of Nature".
  • Through the Dow Sustainability Corps, employee volunteers are matched with non-government organizations, social entrepreneurs and government agencies that need support for sustainable development projects, especially in emerging geographies and areas of growth for the company. Dow empowers its employees to use their time, professional skills and knowledge to devise solutions to world challenges and contribute to communities in need around the globe.

Responsible Operations

Dow is committed to elevating environmental awareness, especially in communities where the company operates.

  • Dow's California Wetlands, a 471-acre preserve located near the company's Pittsburg manufacturing site, supports a diverse range of habitats, including freshwater marsh and ponds, tidal wetlands, grasslands and meadows. The land is home to both threatened and endangered species, and is a migratory stop for more than 130 types of birds. Designated a Corporate Lands for Learning area by the Wildlife Habitat Council, Dow's preserve also offers a variety of educational opportunities that raise public awareness about environmental issues.
  • With less than 500 Whooping Cranes in the world and only about 400 left in the wild, Dow's St. Charles Operations began a three-year sponsorship this year of the Audubon Nature Institute's Whooping Crane Recovery Program, a program that will restore the endangered Whooping Crane population in its native Louisiana environment.
  • This year Dow opened The Dow Sustainability Center of Calhoun County, a recycling and environmental education facility in Texas, in honor of Dow's global sponsorship of the United Nations-designated International Year of Chemistry.
  • Dow recently provided the Galveston Bay Foundation in Texas with a grant to help restore oyster reefs devastated by Hurricane Ike. The Oyster Reefs provide habitat for bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates, which attract larger game fish in support of Galveston’s commercial fishing industry.

Smart Solutions

As a world leader in chemistry, Dow is uniquely positioned to provide breakthroughs that enable economic progress and societal benefits while having less impact on the environment.

  • In May Dow announced that it successfully demonstrated the use of recycled plastic to generate energy. A pilot test showed plastic that has been reused and recycled to the full extent possible can be incinerated and used as fuel for an ultimate end-of-life option, a practice expected to greatly reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. These efforts are another step Dow is taking toward achieving its long-term vision of recycling 100 percent of used packaging.

For more information about Dow's commitment to solving the worlds' challenges through sustainable chemistry, visit Dow online.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: Dow) combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

OLD - Dow Chemical Company logo

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

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