Help Save the Colorado River!

Here at Grist, you know what we like almost as much as solar panels? Sponsors! They help us keep the lights on so we can keep bringing you the best and most Gristy journalism on the planet. This email comes to you from one of those very sponsors. Thanks for taking a gander. (Read our advertising policy if you'd like to learn more; and if you'd like to opt out of future such emails, you may do so by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.) -- the Grist staff Hey Grist Readers, You like skinny dipping, right? Well, don't try it in the Colorado River -- you might just hit dirt! OK, maybe that's a little dramatic. But only a little. The river, which used to run from Rocky Mountain National Park to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, is now being drained completely dry before it reaches its final destination. Thirty million people in the Southwestern United States use the Colorado River's water for their material sustenance; millions more use the river itself for recreation and spiritual enjoyment. And we are not the only inhabitants using this river -- its waters, canyons, and habitats provide a vibrant but deeply threatened ecosystem for untold numbers of plant and animal species. Over the last decade, humans have drained all of the river's water -- all 5 trillion gallons -- before it reaches the Sea of Cortez. Help us protect the Colorado River by checking out SaveTheColorado.org. Save the Colorado is a philanthropic partnership committed to protecting and restoring the ecological health of the Colorado River. With the help of partners like New Belgium Brewing Company, Save the Colorado is not only raising awareness of the rapid destruction of the river, but it is also supporting nonprofit environmental organizations in their efforts to promote water conservation. We've taken a lot from the river and it's time we give a little back. Visit New Belgium Brewing to learn more about how our Skinny Dip For A Cause is helping to save the Colorado! Thanks for listening! New Belgium Brewing   Grist: A Beacon in the Smog™ ©2009. Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. To unsubscribe from this mailing, click here.