April, 16 2009, 04:30pm EDT
Food & Water Watch Highlights Importance of Clean, Affordable Water for All on Earth Day
WASHINGTON
Food & Water Watch, a national consumer advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., will co-sponsor a series of events in observance of Earth Day to draw attention to the importance of clean, affordable public water systems and the social and environmental benefits of choosing tap water over bottled water. The events will take place in Washington, D.C.; New York, N.Y.; San Diego, Calif. and Waterville, Maine, among other cities.
"Food & Water Watch is honored to be partnering with local groups around the country to highlight the importance of clean, affordable water," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "Water scarcity and pollution are serious problems that will only escalate if we continue to take this vital natural resource for granted."
Food & Water Watch's work on Earth Day is part of a broader effort to repair water infrastructure systems, address water scarcity issues, fight the privatization of public water utilities and highlight the environmental and health benefits of tap water. The organization's Take Back the Tap campaign partners with municipalities, restaurants and educational institutions to eliminate bottled water from restaurants and campuses. Food & Water Watch is also leading a campaign to establish a Clean Water Trust Fund, which would establish a dedicated source of federal funding to upgrade and maintain the country's aging water infrastructure systems.
Highlights of Food & Water Watch's activities to celebrate Earth Day include:
-Providing educational water resources to attendees of the Earth Day Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
-Educating participants of the Go Green Expo! in New York City on local water issues.
-Partnering with San Diego Coastkeeper and the University of San Diego to host a screening of the film "FLOW," followed by a panel discussion on local water issues.
-Holding workshops for grassroots activists highlighting the negative effects of water privatization at the Earth Expo at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people's health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.
(202) 683-2500LATEST NEWS
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