As we reflect on all the many things to be grateful for this year, I must begin with expressing my gratitude toward you, Friend. Your support helped advance our mission to protect everyone’s right to clean water in 2022. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act – the landmark environmental law that is foundational to our work – and advocated for immediate action by government leaders to enact and enforce vital protections against the impacts of climate change, factory farms, and dangerous “forever chemicals” that threaten our communities and waterways.
Ensuring everyone’s right to clean water requires determination and a concerted effort by all. We must also be leaders who look beyond the borders of our professions, our communities, and our countries to recognize that these issues touch everyone. The efforts of a few will grow into a movement of many that brings about real solutions, real results, and real change.
Together, we helped drive public awareness through successful placements of opinion pieces like this one that I wrote for Truthout.org about the dangers of CAFOs to frontline communities. And of course, I am so proud of our movement’s effort to raise awareness and demand regulatory action to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from our water resources. Released on the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act in October, our groundbreaking survey of widespread PFAS contamination in surface waters across the country found that these dangerous forever chemicals contaminated 83% of the waters tested! This should sound the alarm to everyone since an estimated 65% of Americans receive their drinking water from surface waters similar to those sampled.
As one of our movement's clean water warriors, you are instrumental in our fight for the future of the planet and humanity by protecting the world's irreplaceable water sources and the communities that surround them. Without you, our work across six continents would be impossible.
It’s been such an honor, guiding this work over the past two years. And however you contribute to it — whether financial support, local organizing, or advocacy action — know that this movement belongs to you.
When we work together, I know we can do amazing things for our waters, and we are so lucky to have you at our side.
It’s my most sincere wish that you find happiness and light in the coming days.
