Michael Phelps Continues as Global Ambassador of Colgate’s “Save Water” Conservation Effort with Behavior-Change Tips
Turning Off the Tap While Brushing Teeth Can Save 64 Glasses of Water
[April 23, 2019, New York, NY] – On Earth Day 2019, Colgate announced its continued partnership with one of the greatest swimmers of all time, Michael Phelps, who serves as global ambassador for the brand’s ongoing “Save Water” initiative. The campaign message is simple: small acts like turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can cumulatively save massive amounts of water as well as the energy required to treat water and pipe it into people’s homes.
Colgate products are found in two out of every three homes in the world, and almost all of them require water use. “Given that our brand is found in more households than any other brand in the world, Colgate is uniquely positioned to lead in water conservation and promote conservation,” says JoAnne Murphy, Director of Retail Category Development, U.S.
While Colgate continues to make significant strides in reducing the amount of water and energy it uses to make and distribute products, 90 percent of its water footprint comes from consumer use. While the U.S. uses more water per person than any other country in the world, 130 million Americans live with severe water scarcity1 at least one month per year. More than that, 1.7 million lack running tap water or a flushable toilet in their homes.
World-champion swimmer Phelps, Colgate’s global water ambassador since 2017, says, “I am often asked about my keys to success in the pool and people are surprised to hear how much I talk about doing all the small things as part of my preparation that ultimately have a big impact on performance. The same applies to this important “Save Water” campaign as the more we can all practice small behavior changes like turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth, the bigger collective impact we can make in conserving our water usage.” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, just turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth for two minutes can save about 64 glasses of water.
Phelps and Colgate encouraged people to learn more, share the message, and save water on Earth Day and every day by:
- Taking the Save Water pledge at EveryDropCounts.Colgate.com
- Sharing their own water-saving tips on social media and tagging #EveryDropCounts
- Following Colgate and the Phelps Family on social media for news, tips and encouragement
About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Elmex, Tom’s of Maine, Sorriso, Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sanex, EltaMD, PCA Skin, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate's global business, visit the Company's web site at http://www.colgatepalmolive.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® oral health education program, please visit http://www.colgatebsbf.com. CL-C
About Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history, capturing a total of 28 medals including a record-setting 23 gold medals, over the course of five Olympic Games. Phelps utilized his performance bonus for winning eight gold medals at 2008 Beijing Games to establish the Michael Phelps Foundation. Committed to growing the sport of swimming, the Foundation addresses the need for water-safety through its signature program – im – available through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International. The most decorated swimmer in World Championships history, Phelps launched his own competitive swimwear brand – MP – in partnership with Aqua Sphere in 2014. He has published two autobiographies – No Limits: The Will to Success and Beneath the Surface – that were New York Times and USA Today best sellers, as well as published one children’s book – How to Train with a T-Rex and Win Eight Gold Medals. He is a highly regarded mental health advocate and inspirational speaker, sharing his message of “Dream, Plan, Reach” with audiences ranging from children to business executives.
1http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/2/e1500323.full
Media contact:
Heidi Donato
phone: 516.221.0614
email: [email protected]