What is Do Something?
We are a new type of not-for-profit organisation that brings together the resources of the business community and the goodwill of the Australian public. We work to create and promote positive social and environmental change.
Rather than talk about the problems, we seek to “do something” by:
- Building alliances between councils, businesses, government and the community.
- Identifying problems and then finding answers that achieve measurable benefits for the environment, community and Australian business.
Who’s Behind Do Something?
Do Something! was established by Planet Ark founders Jon Dee and Pat Cash in association with Tina Jackson, former Executive Director of the National Trust Australia.
Who Does Do Something! Help?
Do Something! is about Australians looking after each other, especially those who need a helping hand.
Through different media channels including tv, radio, print, the internet, and email, we will be encouraging, educating and assisting Australian businesses and people to volunteer, donate, and fundraise more for charities and local organisations.
In particular our aim is to get more resources behind smaller organisations and charities that operate at the community level. Here, small amounts of resources can be leveraged many times over for the benefit of all Australians.
Do Something! Campaigns:
As part of our work, we campaign on environmental and social issues. Sometimes on our own, but more often in partnership with others. Some of our initial campaigns draw on the environmental expertise of Do Something! Chairman, Jon Dee, and Managing Director, Tina Jackson. These include:
This website provides vital links between charities, councils and communities. It’s aim is to make it easier for people to locate and volunteer with community groups and services in their local area.
This is Do Something’s guide to community events around the country. If you’re looking to be involved with an event near you, or you’re a not-for-profit organisation wanting to promote a state or national event, the National Calendar is there for you.
Australians currently throw out $7.8 billion worth of food every year. As a result we send three million tonnes of food waste to landfills every year. Our FoodWise push is about saving money and the environment at the same time.
The average Australian employee uses 9,300 sheets of office paper every year. Australia as a whole uses 1.52 million tonnes of printing and writing paper. The environmental impact of this is significant. To reduce paper usage, we created this campaign which aims to:
- Cut the use of office paper.
- Promote digital solutions within the office instead.
- Stop junk mail.
- Reduce the amount of paper going to landfills.
Bottled water is an environmental menace, and when you consider the facts, a sheer waste of money. So we’ve formed Go Tap, an initiative driven by an alliance of organisations and individuals working to reduce single-use bottled water usage and its environmental and financial costs.
Despite our reduction in plastic bag use, Australians still use over 4 billion plastic checkout bags a year – all made from non-renewable fossil fuels. We may only use plastic bags for minutes, but they can take hundreds of years to break down. Plastic bags pollute the environment and harm marine life. Do Something! is working to help end Australia’s reliance on non-biodegradable plastic bags.
We want to help raise the flag for this fascinating, culturally rich new nation – a country with untold potential. The East Timor Now campaign is a call to action to Australians to get behind and support East Timor on its road to economic independence. Our aim is to promote tourism, trade, investment and volunteering in East Timor.
In 1989, when a devastating earthquake hit Armenia, Jon Dee rallied prominent rock musicians – including David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Brian May (Queen) – to record a cover of Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water. The original campaign raised more than $100,000 in proceeds from the UK top 40 hit, which were used to benefit the victims of the earthquake. 20 years on, Rock Aid Armenia is releasing a 20th anniversary remix to raise funds for a music school that was never rebuilt when it was first destroyed in the 1989 earthquake.
How To Contact Do Something!
Like to know more about Do Something! or any of our campaigns? Then drop us an email to admin@dosomething.net.au – we’d love to hear from you!
