DO THE RIGHT THING
Our new campaign is aiming to inspire all Australians to lead the way in the fight against litter.
Lead, inspire and educate others to do the right thing
It’s been decades since we launched the first ‘Do The Right Thing’ campaign. For those old enough to remember the iconic ad’s jingle, it was a call-to-arms for Aussies too get behind litter prevention.
Fast forward to 2021 and we breathed new life into the campaign, but the messages still remained the same. DO THE RIGHT THING by putting your rubbish in the bin will help Keep Australia Beautiful.
ENJOY THE OUTDOORS, RESPONSIBLY
The unprecedented events of 2020 meant protecting ourselves from the spread of COVID-19, and this saw drastic changes to the way we live – from staying at home more to increasing our hygiene practices. However, there were some unintended consequences of this new lifestyle, especially when it came to the waste we were producing.
Items like single-use food and beverage containers, face masks, hand sanitizer and gloves are still in high demand. All with the potential to end up as litter in our beautiful country.
Our DO THE RIGHT THING campaign reminds us of practical ways to Refuse, Rot, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Restore.
TAKE YOUR RUBBISH WITH YOU
Leave nothing but footprints behind when you’re enjoying Australia’s beautiful outdoors – this includes taking home your organic waste.
Many of us don’t realise that throwing food scraps on the ground is considered littering with hefty fines applying in most states and territories.
This is because organic waste can pose a serious threat to our wildlife that can become ill if they consume it. Our food waste can take months, even years to breakdown, disrupting the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
DO THE RIGHT THING and dispose of ALL your waste correctly, and LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND!
INSPIRE OTHERS TO CHANGE
The key to sustainable change, is education. That’s why our campaign calls on Australians to teach each other how to DO THE RIGHT THING.
It might be picking up a piece of rubbish from the ground or calling out a mate for littering.
It could be Refusing single-use plastic, or ensuring you are disposing of your organic waste correctly through FOGO or composting.
It might be how you Reuse or Repurpose an item rather than discarding it completely, or it could be through your Recycling efforts – ensuring ALL recyclable products go into the correct bin without contamination.
Remember, by starting small, we can inspire big change!
BUTTS BELONG IN THE BIN
Our 2019 National Litter Index research revealed cigarette butts are Australia’s most littered item with an average of 16 cigarette litter items per square kilometre.
National estimates predict 8 billion cigarette butts get littered in Australia each year. These tiny plastic filters can wash into rivers and oceans where they break up into micro plastics, poisoning marine life and even humans that eat seafood.
So, DO THE RIGHT THING and bin your butts to Keep Australia Beautiful.
WHAT’S THE DO THE RIGHT THING CAMPAIGN ALL ABOUT
As populations grow and our convenient lifestyles produce more waste, we all have a responsibility to lead by example, reduce our waste and prevent litter pollution.
Refuse – Rot – Reduce – Reuse – Recycle – Restore
90’s DO THE RIGHT THING CAMPAIGN
The DO THE RIGHT THING campaign started in the 90’s and is known as the most successful anti-litter campaign in Australia.
This catchy ad still resonates strongly with those who grew up in this era, and by popular demand Keep Australia Beautiful (who were a member of the Litter & Recycling Research Association), are reinvigorating this ad, its tune and the important messaging behind it!
A little bit of litter goes a long long way,
Mother Nature is choking on it every day.
You gotta DO THE RIGHT THING its an obligation,
And your planet will thank you for your cooperation!
70’s DO THE RIGHT THING CAMPAIGN
Keep Australia Beautiful has been encouraging Australians to DO THE RIGHT THING by putting rubbish in the bin for decades, and our campaigns aim to inspire a community where people care for each other and the environment.
Going back to the 70’s, another version of DO THE RIGHT THING was recorded by THE FUGITIVES.
DO THE RIGHT THING
(Anti-Litter Campaign – 1979)
THE FUGITIVES
Produced by Ralph White | Sound Recording – 7 Records
OLD CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
