Atlanta to Host Dow Live Earth Run
April 2010 event - the largest global water initiative in history to help solve the world water crisis

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Posted Monday, 16 November, 2009

From Ryan Lamppa, Running USA

ATLANTA - (November 10, 2009) - Live Earth has announced that Atlanta has been added to the list of cities hosting the largest worldwide water initiative on record to help combat the global water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water - to take place Sunday, April 18, 2010 - will consist of a series of 6K run / walks (the average distance many women and children walk every day to secure water) taking place over the course of 24 hours in countries around the world, featuring concerts and water education activities aimed at igniting a tipping point to help solve the water crisis. Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau, Pete Wentz, Angelique Kidjo and Jenny Fletcher will lend their names and their time in support of this important cause.

Atlanta's Dow Live Earth Run for Water event will take place in downtown Atlanta with the start / finish at the Water Village area located at Pemberton Place, adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. The 6K course will take participants through nearby neighborhoods.

"With the recent drought situation and the questionable future of Lake Lanier as a significant water source for the region, the water crisis is something that really hits home for millions of Atlantans," stated race director Tracey Russell. "The Atlanta Track Club is proud to be partnering with Live Earth in support of the Dow Live Earth Run for Water to help drive awareness of both the global and regional water crisis."

Water scarcity is an issue affecting countries, communities and families all over the world. One in eight people don't have access to safe, clean drinking water. Eighty-eight percent of diarrhea cases worldwide are linked to inadequate and unsafe water. These cases result in 1.5 million deaths each year, mostly among children under five. In these areas, women and children are forced to walk 6K (3.7 miles) each day to secure water that is likely unsuitable for drinking. The water crisis can be felt in metropolitan Atlanta as well, with the recent ruling from a federal judge that Lake Lanier was not constructed for water supply among the biggest and most imminent economic threats to the region.

The Dow Live Earth Run for Water run / walk registration is now open via The Active Network at http://liveearth.org/run. All participants will receive a free online ActiveTrainer plan to help them prepare for the event. Ten percent of all registration fees for Atlanta will go directly to Global Water Challenge, the NGO beneficiary of all funds raised in the United States.

Other international cities hosting the event include Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Hong Kong, Jimbaran, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Mexico City, Milan, Minneapolis, New York, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Singapore City, Stockholm, Toronto and Washington, D.C.

For more information about the Dow Live Earth Run for Water, visit: www.liveearth.org

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