Aveda Knows the Key to Beauty Is Water

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}