“We’ve really just started, but already we’ve had a terrific response,” said Warren Buffett, pledge
co-founder and chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. “At its core, the Giving Pledge is
about asking wealthy families to have important conversations about their wealth and how it will
be used. We’re delighted that so many people are doing just that – and that so many have
decided to not only take this pledge but also to commit to sums far greater than the 50%
minimum level.”

Wealthy supporters from throughout the country have come forward to join the pledge, including
the following 40 families and individuals. A full list of those taking the pledge and personal
pledge letters by many of these supporters outlining their commitment to give is available online
at www.givingpledge.org.

The Giving Pledge is an effort to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the
wealthiest American families and individuals to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to
philanthropy or charitable causes. The pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal
contract, and it does not involve pooling money or supporting a particular set of causes or
organizations. While it is specifically focused on billionaires, the idea takes its inspiration from
other efforts that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds.

Select Pledge Letter Excerpts
The following excerpts have been taken from letters written by pledge signatories on their personal motivation to give. Please visit www.givingpledge.org to view these letters and others in their entirety.

• Laura and John Arnold: “We view our wealth in this light – not as an end in itself, but
as an instrument to effect positive and transformative change.”

• Michael R. Bloomberg: “If you want to do something for your children and show how
much you love them, the single best thing – by far – is to support organizations that will
create a better world for them and their children. And by giving, we inspire others to give
of themselves, whether their money or their time.”

• Eli and Edythe Broad: “Those who have been blessed with extraordinary wealth have
an opportunity, some would say a responsibility – we consider it a privilege – to give
back to their communities, be they local, national or global.”

• Warren Buffett: “Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks (Berkshire
Hathaway stock certificates) on ourselves, neither our happiness nor our well-being
would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on the
health and welfare of others.”

• Bill and Melinda Gates: “We have been blessed with good fortune beyond our wildest
expectations, and we are profoundly grateful. But just as these gifts are great, so we feel
a great responsibility to use them well. That is why we are so pleased to join in making
an explicit commitment to the Giving Pledge.”

• Barron Hilton: “It is my hope that others are inspired by my father’s story, and by our
family’s steadfast adherence to his charitable philosophy.”

• Jon and Karen Huntsman: “It has been clear to me since my earliest childhood
memories that my reason for being was to help others.”

• George B. Kaiser: “I had the advantage of both genetics (winning the “ovarian lottery”)
and upbringing. As I looked around at those who did not have these advantages, it
became clear to me that I had a moral obligation to direct my resources to help right that
balance.”

• Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest: “The ultimate achievement in life is how you feel about
yourself. And giving your wealth away to have an impact for good does help with that
feeling.”

• Lorry I. Lokey: “There’s an old saying about farmers putting back in to the ground via
fertilizer what they take out. So it is with money. The larger the estate, the more
important it is to revitalize the soil.”

• George Lucas: “My pledge is to the process; as long as I have the resources at my
disposal, I will seek to raise the bar for future generations of students of all ages. I am
dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education.”

• Tashia and John Morgridge: “The more personally involved we have become with the
causes we support the more effective we seem to be.”

• Peter G. Peterson: “As I watched and learned from my father’s example, I noticed how
much pleasure his giving to others gave him. Indeed, today, I get much more pleasure
giving money to what I consider worthwhile causes than making the money in the first
place.”

• David Rockefeller: “Our family continues to be united in the belief that those who have
benefitted the most from our nation’s economic system have a special responsibility to
give back to our society in meaningful ways.”

• Jeff Skoll: “The world is a vast and complicated place and it needs each of us doing all
we can to ensure a brighter tomorrow for future generations.”

• Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor: “Surely the pleasure we derive from St. Francis’ active
verbs of consoling, understanding, loving, giving and pardoning far outweigh any selfish
and passive pleasures of owning, having, or possessing.”

• Ted Turner: “I’m particularly thankful for my father’s advice to set goals so high that they
can’t possibly be achieved during a lifetime and to give help where help is needed most.
That inspiration keeps me energized and eager to keep working hard every day on
giving back and making the world a better place for generations to come.”

• Sanford and Joan Weill: “Our Pledge is this: We will continue to give away all of the
wealth we have been so fortunate to make except for a very small percentage allocated
to our children and grandchildren between now and the time we pass because we are
firm believers that shrouds don’t have pockets.”

Initially Virgin invested in a number of bio-fuel businesses, but has now broadened the scope of its investment into the renewable energy and resource efficiency sectors through the formation of the Virgin Green Fund (VGF).

VGF has invested in 10 companies ranging from solar energy and water purification to energy efficient lighting.

In addition Virgin has established the Earth Challenge to encourage research into Carbon sequestration technology; and the Carbon War Room to promote and organize global efforts to combat climate change.

Donate your junk car

CharityCar, green vehicle disposal and charity car donation company, today announced the launch of its sister site, MrCarJunk.com. Customers have the option to sell their junk cars for cash or donate 100% of the recycler’s value to a charity of their choosing.

Vehicles sold or donated through MyCarJunk.com will be picked up free of charge (in the United States and Canada) and taken directly to an Authorized Treatment Facility where a comprehensive de-pollution process is used on all vehicles to remove and recover hazardous fluids and materials necessary to prepare them for dismantling and recycling. All waste materials from this process are handled and disposed of in accordance with any applicable legislation or Environmental requirements in that area.

David Gold from Standard Auto Wreckers and founder of MrCarJunk.com said: “Our mission is to reduce the amount of waste produced by automobiles that have reached the end of their useful lives and this is made possible by our extensive coverage across North America. Last year, CharityCar.us and CharityCar.ca exceeded $91,000 USD in donations to partner charities, despite the economic conditions. This generosity proves that North Americans are embracing eco-friendly vehicle disposal to benefit the environment and society – we expect MrCarJunk.com to be equally successful.”

Green gift. Leading manufacturer of refuse sacks, bpi.recycled products has donated 18,000 of its eco-friendly Green Sacks® to an international scout camp.

A global gathering of some 6,000 scouts and girls guides has received a massive product donation from one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of refuse sacks.

bpi.recycled products – which operates from sites across the UK including a factory in Heanor, Derbyshire – has supplied 18,000 Green Sacks® completely free of charge for use at this year’s PEAK 2010 camp which runs for a week in late July at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire.

Held every five years since the 1970s, the PEAK camp brings together scout troops and girl guide units from right across the world. This year’s event will be attended by young adults from 14 different countries including the UK, America, Ireland, Canada, Norway, Germany, Belgium, India, New Zealand, Denmark, St Lucia, Japan, Russia and China (Hong Kong). A further 2,000 Cubs, Brownies, Rainbows and Beavers from around the UK will also attend as day visitors.

With the theme of ‘One World – Our World’, the event aims to offer those attending a truly international experience. This year it also plans to be as eco-conscious as possible in keeping with the guiding and scouting movement’s desire to inspire young people with a real sense of duty and of responsibility – both to others and to the environment.

As part of PEAK 2010’s green focus, recycling points for plastic, cardboard, paper and cans will be strategically located around the site. Campers are also being encouraged to collect and bring unwanted clothing to the event. Better quality items will be sent to help those living in third world countries whilst the remaining clothing, along with the material collected via the recycling points, will be sold for commercial recycling. All proceeds raised will then be donated to charity.

In addition, Derbyshire County Council will be visiting the camp to stage special educational sessions designed to show campers how they can make greener choices and reduce their waste stream contribution. There will also be a special ‘Earth Zone’ on the campsite showcasing more sustainable living and featuring a greenhouse made out of old soft drinks bottles.

Amongst a list of activities that includes everything from abseiling and archery to go karting and woggle making, there’ll even be the chance for some of the younger visitors to spend the day making new items out of old recycled material.

The donation of 18,000 Green Sacks® by bpi.recycled products continues the eco-conscious theme of the event. Marketed as the toughest, greenest refuse sacks currently available, they are not only made completely from recycled plastic waste that might otherwise have been sent to landfill, but they’re also created from UK waste reprocessed at bpi.recycled products’ own UK facilities.

This gives the Green Sack® range a carbon footprint up to 35% lower than most other 100% recycled polythene refuse sacks which are typically produced in the Far East.

Commenting on the donation, Stephen Orme, Customer Services Director at bpi.recycled products, said: “As part of British Polythene Industries (BPI) plc, bpi.recycled products has a strong commitment to the environment and to being a responsible and community conscious business. We are delighted to be supporting PEAK 2010 as it’s such a worthwhile event and because it allows us to demonstrate the strong green credentials of our products.”

Speaking on behalf of PEAK 2010, Steve Parker, the event’s Site Manager, adds: “We’d like to extend a massive thank you to bpi.recycled products for their kind donation of the Green Sacks. Not only are these refuse sacks perfectly in keeping with the green aims of the event, but their provision completely free of charge has enabled us to save money which can now be spent on additional activities for those attending the event.”

The award recognizes the outstanding work of Marine Conservation Initiative grantees and partners, who have advanced ecosystem-based Marine Spatial Planning as a new approach to ocean management that can reduce conflict and ensure conservation. The Blue Frontier/ Peter Benchley awards acknowledge outstanding achievement leading to the protection of our coasts and ocean and the communities that depend on them. The first Blue Frontier Awards were given at the 2004 Blue Vision Conference in Washington D.C. where Peter Benchley gave the Keynote speech. After his death in 2006, his wife Wendy Benchley agreed to let Blue Frontier rename the award in his honor.  Wendy has been a grass roots environmental activist for many years and she and Peter worked together for most of their 43 years of marriage on ocean conservation issues.

In April, the 155-acre Valhalla Mile property – often dubbed the “Golden Mile” because of its one-mile expanse of undeveloped shoreline – was purchased and transferred to B.C. Parks. In addition to the TD FEF donation, a dedicated group of volunteers and donors from across Canada and internationally helped make the purchase possible.

Located alongside Slocan Lake in southeastern B.C., “the property is a vital movement corridor for grizzly and black bears. Wolverines, cougars and mule deer are among the many species that frequent the land and its shoreline habitat,” explains Lorna Visser, Valhalla Mile Campaign Co-ordinator. “From a cultural perspective, ancient First Nations’ pictographs are located just north of the property and the shoreline was likely a Sinixt fishing and gathering site.”

The Land Conservancy of B.C. and The Valhalla Foundation for Ecology and Social Justice teamed up in a campaign to purchase the land, previously owned by a private land owner, all within the boundaries of Valhalla Provincial Park. This property is a key addition to the park, which encompasses almost 50,000 hectares and protects an entire mountain ecosystem from lakeshore to high alpine.

“Our local TD FEF advisory board is made up of nature enthusiasts from across southeastern B.C., and we all agreed that helping preserve Valhalla Park was something that would be of significant benefit to our entire region,” says Laura Decker, TD Bank Branch Manager and Chapter Coordinator for Southeast B.C. “This project is a great example of what can be accomplished when we come together as a community, and we’re honoured to be a part of it.”

- Ted Turner has given more than $1.5 billion to date
- Donald Bren has given more than $1.3 billion as of 2008
- William and Flora Hewlett Foundation gave about $785 million in grants in 2008
- Gordon and Betty Moore give about $183 million each year
- David Gelbaum has given more than $380 million since 2005
- Robert Wilson has given more than $300 million as of April 2009
- Doug and Kris Tompkins has given about $275 million as of October 2009

Project Needs and Beneficiaries
Communities worldwide depend on water for survival, yet more than 1 billion people lack proper access to clean drinking water. Impacting health, food, climate, transportation and local markets, inadequate water resources and their management can lead to disease, malnutrition, poor economic growth and conflict. Ethiopia’s central areas are drought-prone, and inefficient use of fuel has depleted available resources, creating a chronic water crisis for more than 14 million Ethiopians.

Activities
CHF’s programs in Ethiopia are training women about proper hygiene and water usage, fostering effective usage and management through local associations, and building infrastructure such as deep-wells, hand-dug wells, and rehabilitated springs.

“Green Streets is the only national tree program that works with communities, and it fits perfectly with our goal to preserve and enhance the environment at a grassroots level,” said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. “Ultimately, this is about bringing the ‘green’ back to Main Street – celebrating the health of public spaces in cities and towns across Canada.”

TD FEF, through its TD Green Streets program, will award 20 communities with grants for planting and maintaining trees this year which is timely, given that TD FEF is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010.

TD Green Streets: How it Works

Since 1994, the Green Streets program has provided funding to more than 370 Canadian municipalities to plant and maintain trees. The TD Green Streets program is open to all municipalities and First Nations communities who apply for funding to plant and maintain trees (as part of the launch, the program will be expanded to include Business Improvement Associations in Toronto and Vancouver). Based on the community size and need, grants of up to $15,000 are given with a maximum of 50 per cent of the grant allocated towards the cost of tree planting. The remainder can be used for inventory, maintenance and educational activities.

All submissions are reviewed by regional Tree Canada Advisors, Board Members, urban forest practitioners and representatives from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation based on innovation, community involvement and technical expertise. Communities who have already received Green Streets funding are also eligible to apply under this year’s program.

“Having TD Friends of the Environment Foundation on board is a giant leap forward in our outreach to build  stronger,, self-sustaining green infrastructure in our communities,” said Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada. “After a one-year search, we are pleased that the Foundation has stepped forward to help raise awareness that trees are vital to the quality of life where we live and work. They are without a doubt, the ideal sponsor for this program.”

To apply for funding from TD Green Streets visit www.tdgreenstreets.ca. The announcement of the 20 winners will be made in April 2010.

“We’re a national organization with a grassroots focus. Our goal is to work with Canadians who are dedicated to preserve and protect their local environments and ecosystems,” says Annick Laberge, spokesperson for TD Friends of the Environment Foundation in Quebec. “Thanks to the financial support and active involvement of Montreal residents, we’ve been able to make a positive difference in the community for nearly 20 years by supporting close to 250 local environment and wildlife projects.”

Projects recently supported by TD FEF in the Montreal area include:

• A provincial bird inventory by Bird Studies Canada. Hundreds of volunteers went into the field to count and record the number of bird species. Bird species thought to be decreasing in population will be further examined to try and determine the cause of the decrease.
• A project by the Corporation d’initiatives environmentales Lajemmerais introduced recycling and composting in a variety of public daycare and school environments. The significant amount of waste generated by attendees and staff will be recycled or composted, therefore reducing the impact on landfill sites.
• A Jeunes au travail initiative to create a wetland pond with various aquatic plants which will help filter run-off waters. The water will then be used to irrigate adjacent farming fields. Youth participating in this initiative will gain a greater appreciation of the need for clean water, and secondly how run-off water can be re-used safely.

“Every dollar donated to TD FEF goes directly to funding local projects in the community where the donation was made. Donors can be sure that their contribution is supporting environment and wildlife projects in their own backyard,” says Laberge.

The types of projects supported by TD FEF include (but are not limited to):

• Wildlife rehabilitation
• Education programs for children
• Environmental cleanups
• Tree planting campaigns
• Conservation and recycling initiatives
• Urban renewal

Non-profit organizations interested in submitting a request for financial support to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation should visit www.tdfef.com for more information. Funding applications are only accepted online.

Besides applying for funding, there are several ways Montreal residents can get involved with TD FEF:

• Become a TD FEF donor by giving as little as a few dollars per month by donating online at http://www.fef.td.com/donate.jsp or by visiting any TD Canada Trust branch;
• Volunteer with a local TD FEF Chapter Advisory Board: http://www.fef.td.com/advisoryboard.jsp;
• Join the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation fan page on Facebook.