Dishwasher brand, Finish, has collaborated with non-profit org, Rural Aid, and magazine, National Geographic, on a new water-saving campaign.
Finish is urging consumers to stop pre-rinsing their dishes before putting in the dishwasher as it is resulting in about 20 billion litres of water waste in Australia each year.
For every #FinishWaterWaste shared via social media, the brand will donate 40 litres of water to drought-affected locals via Rural Aid.
Sydney’s iconic Bondi Icebergs Pool was transformed into a large kitchen sink to launch the campaign and demonstrate how much water could be saved each year.
“The drought, affecting most of Australia, is impacting both farmers and regional communities. We are receiving an average of 50 calls a week from farmers who are running out of drinking water. Children are bathing in buckets. Working closely with Finish, we will take the water saved by Aussies who make the FinishWaterWaste promise and deliver it to those people most in need,” Rural Aid founder and CEO Charles Alder said.
“Water is the lifeblood of the bush and with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting below average rainfall for Spring, things are only going to get worse. The water scarcity issue cannot be out of sight, out of mind for those not directly impacted – we must all do our bit to conserve water and help out our fellow Australians in need. This starts by making a change at home.”
Finish also pledged to donate 40 litres of water for every Finish Quantum Ultimate sold at Coles and Woolworths in September and October. The tablets were designed to help conserve water as no pre-rinse is required. Collectively Finish and Rural Aid will donate a total of 6,800,000 litres of water to communities.
“While many communities in rural areas have limited or no access to water, research shows Australians are the greatest consumers per capita of fresh water, using an average of 100,000 litres per person each year. It’s truly astounding how much water we use but this also means there is great potential for change and, together, we can make a huge difference,”
Finish ambassador, Olympic swimmer, Libby Trickett, said.
Finish also collaborated with National Geographic on a short video highlighting the drought in Murrurundi, NSW.
“Throughout my career I have travelled across the globe and seen many drought-stricken countries. It broke my heart to come home and meet hard-working Aussies who have been impacted by drought themselves, seeing first-hand what a life without water is really like,” said National Geographic photographer, Adam Ferguson.
