Abbott Donates ’Cool Globe’ to Lake County Forest Preserves for Permanent Display at Greenbelt Cultural Center

’Cool Globe’ Sculpture Promotes Environmental Protection Awareness

To help raise environmental awareness in Lake County, Abbott has donated a “Cool Globes” sculpture from a recent outdoor public art exhibit in Chicago to the Lake County Forest Preserves (LCFP) as a permanent display at the organization’s Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago, Illinois

The “Cool Globes” program, which Abbott sponsored, featured sculpted globes, each five feet in diameter, on which artists from around the world applied their designs to present messages and images on environmental issues like climate change solutions. After the exhibit ended, the artworks were sold in a public auction to raise money for environmental education.

The “Cool Globe” Abbott acquired and donated to LCFP, “Nature Nurture: Raise Future Environmentalists,” was created by Chicago artist Nancy Pochis Bank. The artist’s piece presents how the earth’s future stewardship depends on children connecting with nature. Bank used whitewashed, “blank slate” children covered in patterns of nature icons with silhouetted moms and dads positioned over their shoulders to illustrate them overseeing their children’s interactions with the natural world.

“I want to give parents ideas for how they can get their kids outdoors more,” said Bank. “We have to help our children bond with nature, to love the earth, before we ask them to save it.”

“Like Abbott and others involved in the ’Cool Globes’ project, we share the goal of promoting environmentally sound practices, reducing negative impact on the earth through stewardship and education, and preserving our delicate natural world for children and families of today and tomorrow,” said Bonnie Thomson Carter, President, Lake County Forest Preserves. “We are very grateful to Abbott for its generous donation of this innovative sculpture that is proudly displayed at our Greenbelt Cultural Center. The globe’s message of inspiring children and their families to care for and enjoy the outdoors together connects very strongly to our agency’s mission.”

“Abbott’s support of the Lake County Forest Preserves and the ’Cool Globes’ art exhibit is part of our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said John C. Landgraf, senior vice president, Global Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Supply, Abbott. “Families across the north suburbs enjoy the Lake County Forest Preserves, and we believe the family-focused message conveyed in the ’Cool Globe’ we’re donating will inspire visitors to be part of the solution of protecting the environment for future generations.”



About the Lake County Forest Preserves

The Lake County Forest Preserves manage over 25,500 acres of land and offer innovative educational, recreational and cultural opportunities for all ages. Visitors enjoy over 125 miles of trail for a variety of outdoor recreation uses, fishing ponds and lakes, public access to the Fox River, award-winning nature and history education programs and events, and four public golf courses. Facilities of special interest include Independence Grove near Libertyville, Ryerson Conservation Area near Deerfield, Lake County Discovery Museum near Wauconda, Greenbelt Cultural Center near North Chicago and ThunderHawk Golf Club near Beach Park.

More information about the Lake County Forest Preserves is available by calling
847-367-6640 or visiting on-line at www.LCFPD.org.



About Abbott’s Environmental Initiatives

Building on its longstanding commitment to responsible environmental practices, Abbott recently implemented several new initiatives to further reduce its impact on the environment, including:

* Becoming the first and only FORTUNE 500 company to commit to going “carbon neutral” with its U.S. auto fleet through the use of hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles, and by purchasing carbon offsets;

* Implementing an aggressive new global energy policy with specific goals that include reducing CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2011; and

* Investing in renewable energy, including installing a large solar power system to produce electricity for the company’s vascular plant in Temecula, California

This ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices has led to Abbott being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) in recognition of the company’s leading economic, social and environmental performance. To learn more about Abbott’s sustainability initiatives and to read or download the company’s 2006 global citizenship report, visit www.abbott.com/citizenship.