Welcome
Avis Ogilvy Moore
2003-2005 Board Chair
Brent Blackwelder
President
Norman Dean
Executive Director
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Dear Friends:
Thank you for your continued support of Friends of the Earth.
The victories we achieved this year are your victories as
well and they make our planet a better place to live.
It has been a remarkable year for Friends of the Earth. In
March, we finalized a merger with Bluewater Network. Bluewater
is a dynamic organization with creative campaigns to combat
global warming, air and water pollution and damage to public
lands by thrill vehicles such as snowmobiles and jetskis.
The merger has added to our capacity and enabled us to broaden
the scope of our work in a number of areas.
It has also been a pivotal year for the country as a whole.
Hurricane Katrina underscored the dangers of undermining natural
barriers to storms and the unpreparedness of our government.
The link between fiercer storms and global warming was also
brought to the public’s attention. While the Bush administration
has worked to weaken environmental protections for the last
five years, we believe that we are approaching a tipping point.
Public awareness of global warming and environmental concerns
is growing.
Despite facing a hostile administration and continued government
inaction on environmental priorities, Friends of the Earth
has had many successes. Here are a few highlights from the
past year:
Cancer Prevention – Friends of the
Earth and our partners in the Safe Cosmetics Campaign have
signed nearly 200 companies onto our Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
These companies, representing an estimated $4 billion in sales,
have pledged not to use chemicals in their products that are
known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or
birth defects.
Improved Automobile Fuel Efficiency –
Our Bluewater Network ran a series of advertisements in the
New York Times and other publications pressuring Ford Motor
Company to improve their fleet’s fuel economy. Since
launching this campaign, Ford has announced a global plan
to produce 250,000 hybrid vehicles annually by 2010. Bluewater
has since launched an ad campaign challenging Volvo and Toyota
to improve fuel economy.
Funding for Renewable Energy in Developing Countries
– Following intensive advocacy by Friends of the Earth,
the World Bank, the world's largest development institution,
announced it will increase its financing for renewable energy
projects by 20 percent each year over the next five years.
Protecting America’s Rail System –
Friends of the Earth’s nationwide organizing efforts
helped build significant momentum in Congress to fully fund
Amtrak, while blocking the Bush administration’s plan
to bankrupt the system.
Cruise Ship Pollution Banned – Our
Bluewater Network crafted and helped pass three bills that
will ban dumping and pollution from cruise ships within three
miles of the California coast. With this rigorous standard
in place, Bluewater plans to help other coastal states adopt
similar regulations.
Looking ahead, we will continue our efforts for clean energy,
healthy people, and healthy ecosystems. The planet has given
us a wake up call. Join us in the coming year to wake up our
leaders and demand action!
Sincerely,
Avis Ogilvy Moore
2003-2005 Board Chair
Brent Blackwelder
President
Norman Dean
Executive Director
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