Lake Success, N.Y., July 24, 2007 – More than 260 teenagers from 43 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces will descend upon Hobart & William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y., July 29th - August 4th, to participate as finalists in one of North America's largest high school environmental education competitions - the 2007 Canon Envirothon. As they learn about environmental issues affecting natural resources, participants will have the opportunity to compete for a share of more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes.

Organized by the National Association of Conservation Districts in the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A) Forest Service and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, teams will be tested on their knowledge of soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife and an additional current environmental issue. The theme of this year's competition is Alternative/Renewable Energy, an issue that has attracted worldwide attention. The competing teams will focus on the efficient use of energy generated from traditional sources and the development of renewable energy resources.

"As a global corporate citizen, Canon is environmentally aware and understands the need for balance between quality of life advancements and the health of the environment. Canon is guided by the philosophy of kyosei - all people, regardless of race, religion, or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future," said William Reed, senior vice president and general manager, Corporate Communications, Canon U.S.A. "Embracing this philosophy, Canon U.S.A. supports a wide range of environmental and youth programs, like the Canon Envirothon, to preserve and conserve the planet's limited resources for future generations.

"Decisions about the production and consumption of our energy resources will shape the future of our planet, and the students competing here at the Canon Envirothon will have a direct hand in determining how we will use those resources in years to come," added Reed.

The Canon Envirothon is one of North America's largest high school environmental education competitions in which more than 500,000 teenagers are involved in a year-long learning process that combines in-class curricula with hands-on field experiences. Five-member teams from schools and organizations compete for the distinction of representing their state or Canadian province in the Canon Envirothon by first competing in local competitions organized by environmental agencies. Under the supervision of foresters, soil scientists and wildlife specialists, teams participate in series of field-oriented tests. Students also prepare and deliver oral presentations to panels of judges who evaluate each team on their problem-solving capabilities, oral presentation skills and recommendations to help solve the specific environmental challenge presented during the competition.

Since 1997, Canon U.S.A. has been a sponsor of this annual competition. Canon works to protect the environment through the award-winning Canon Clean Earth Campaign that encompasses the development of energy-efficient office products, equipment remanufacturing and materials reuse, the protection of endangered species and the encouragement of environmental education through the Company's corporate social responsibility efforts and employee volunteerism. For more information: www.usa.canon.com/environment.

A list of the U.S. and Canadian schools/organizations participating in the 2007 Canon Envirothon appears below.

Canon Envirothon Press Room: www.envirothon.org Please view the 2007 press room for information about the competition, daily updates and photos of the winning teams. Photos of winning teams can be downloaded beginning Sunday, August 5, 2007.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2006 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

† IFI Patent Intelligence, January 11, 2007