The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) is using World Water Day on March 22 and its Live Earth/Run For Water partnership to engage the next generation in becoming effective stewards of this precious resource. Water is one of the essential ingredients for life. Yet 1 in 7 people around the world rely on unsafe water supplies for daily living. For the past 17 years, nations have commemorated World Water Day on March 22 to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

In addition to Dow's efforts to help solve the global water crisis through business solutions, corporate/social contribution programs and its corporate commitment to sustainable water use and management, Dow is tapping into the creativity of youth around the world and inspiring changes in behavior.

Dow and Edina Public Schools in Minnesota, are teaming up to educate local students about the global water crisis in support of both World Water Day and the Dow Live Earth Run for Water event, which will be held at Lake Nokomis and in nearly 100 cities and communities around the world on April 18, 2010. Leading up to World Water Day, Dow Water & Process Solutions (DW&PS), partnered with Edina Public Schools to host a series of presentations in local classrooms to educate students about the need for clean, safe drinking water. Children from kindergarten to 5th grade in the Twin Cities area were also encouraged to participate in a coloring contest depicting how they are conserving water. Older students were invited to enter a video essay contest called, "Water Quality Challenges and Opportunities," in which they filmed 2 to 3 minute videos explaining how the issue of water scarcity might be resolved.

Dow AgroSciences is inspiring kids in the Indianapolis area to continue their efforts in solving humanity's water crisis. Students from Central Indiana participated in the IMAGINE Global Leadership Conference for middle school students in November 2009, during which they developed action plans to address specific water-related needs locally, regionally or globally. Dow AgroSciences will sponsor a recognition event on April 15 for the teams to present their projects called, "Water: The Lifeblood of Humanity."

In Europe, Dow's Lauterbourg and the Drusenheim sites in France are taking a "hands on" approach by organizing 2 weeks of water experiments for 80 young children at local youth associations, including Les Petits Débrouillards d'Alsace. During the event called "Around Water" which will be held from April 6-16, Dow France employees will educate children ages 4 to 12 about nature's and humanity's need for clean water and the importance of conserving it. The children will experiment on the water molecule, view an illustration of water pollution, build a water treatment station, and take a country walk to study the mineral salts in water and how they contribute to growing vegetation.

The importance of engaging the planet's future stewards at an early age is an important strategy in Dow's global effort to collaborate for lasting change.

About Dow
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 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 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

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.