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In November 2009 Jon Dee was named NSW Australian of the Year. Jon is the Founder and Chairman of the Australian advocacy organisation ‘Do Something!'. He is also the Environment Editor for Channel Nine's ‘TODAY' show. Internationally, he is best known as the founder of Planet Ark, ‘World Environment News' and his 14 country ‘World Environment Review' poll.
Some of Jon's initiatives have become role models for international change. He initiated the successful lobbying campaign for Australia's 3 year phase-out of incandescent light globes - a move that has since been copied by other countries.
Jon has also spearheaded the highly successful media campaign to phase-out Australia's usage of plastic bags. This campaign led to the South Australian Government ban on plastic bags and the national plan to phase-out HDPE bags.
As part of this campaign, Jon and Ben Kearney got the Tasmanian town of Coles Bay to become Australia's first plastic bag free town. Since then, many communities around the world have copied this role model. Jon was also Rebecca Hosking's key advisor in turning Modbury into Britain's first plastic bag free town.
In 2007, Jon was the media spokesperson for the Australian release of Al Gore's ‘An Inconvenient Truth' DVD. As part of this campaign, Jon organised the sponsorship and sending out of ‘An Inconvenient Truth' leaflet to 5 million homes Australia-wide. In partnership with Jackgreen, Jon also organised to put a free DVD of ‘An Inconvenient Truth' into Australia's secondary schools.
In June 2007, Jon made a speech at the House of Lords to launch his 14 country ‘World Environment Review' poll. Jon's interviews for this initiative achieved significant coverage in the international media.
Jon founded Planet Ark in 1991 in partnership with his close friend Pat Cash.
Jon was also the founder of 'World Environment News' (the world's leading environmental news service which is used by 8 million people a year), 'Cards 4 Planet Ark' (over half a billion greeting cards recycled), RecyclingNearYou.com.au (used by one million people a year), Australia's 'National Recycling Week' and 'The National Recycling Hotline', to name but a few.
Together with Olivia Newton-John, Jon founded Australia's 'National Tree Day', an event for which 2 million volunteers have planted 12 million native trees and shrubs. This initiative has achieved significant environmental results - it has also provided significant amounts of food and shelter for Australia's native wildlife.
Jon and Pat Cash have a longstanding interest in social issues. They first met when Pat got involved with Jon's 'Rock Aid Armenia' earthquake appeal in 1990. Their desire to do more in this area led them leaving Planet Ark to start new social and environmental organisation called ‘Do Something!'. Started in partnership with Tina Jackson in late 2008, this advocacy organisation is rolling out a series of campaigns that are bringing about positive social and environmental change. These include the high profile www.BottledWaterAlliance.com and www.FoodWise.com.au sites and campaigns. Media coverage at this early stage has been exceptional with '60 Minutes' recently interviewing Jon about the ‘Do Something' bottled water campaign. The organisation has 4 other web sites in development and is developing plans to make it easer for people to volunteer and donate to charities in their local area.
Jon has directed and produced over 350 environmentally-focussed TV and radio adverts. These have featured people such as Tom Cruise, Kylie Minogue, Sir Richard Branson, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Irwin, Olivia Newton-John, Rolf Harris and others. He has also recently finished writing, directing and co-presenting a series of 52 ‘Easy Being Green' TV announcements that show people how to save money and the environment. One new spot is airing every week on Channel Nine's ‘Today on Sunday'.
In the media, Jon's articles have millions of readers. He has a number of regular environment columns in major motoring magazines and writes extensively for magazines and newspapers. He has also been recently commissioned to write his first environment book - this will be published in Australia in 2009.
In 2008, Jon hosted the environment TV series ‘Tipping Point', which aired 24/7, on the hour every hour on ‘The Weather Channel' on Foxtel and Austar. In his role as an environmental commentator, Jon undertakes hundreds of interviews every year across all media. He is also Neil Mitchell's on-air environmental advisor on Radio 3AW.
Jon is also strong in demand here and overseas as a corporate speaker. Companies who have hired Jon to speak to them include Hewlett-Packard, Commonwealth Bank, McDonald's, ANZ, Toyota, NAB, BMW, Fosters and many others. Jon's speaking engagements have taken place in Australia, Italy, Taiwan, America, the United Kingdom, France and Singapore.
Prior to setting up 'Do Something!', Jon was Planet Ark's Managing Director - a role he held for 15 years after he started the organisation back in June 1991. Through his JonDee.com organisation, Jon's main income stream comes from advising organisations about the environment and corporate social responsibility. His 40 hour a week position as Chairman of ‘Do Something!' is currently voluntary.
Jon's first full time environmental job was at Earthlife UK in 1985. As part of his community work outside the environment, Jon co-produced ‘The World Against AIDS' global broadcast which launched ‘World AIDS day' back in 1988.
In 1989, Jon also initiated and ran 'Rock Aid Armenia' where he organised 'The Earthquake Album' - the UK's first ever gold selling charity album. The album and video were supported by such bands as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Deep Purple and Bon Jovi. Jon also had a top 40 UK hit with his all-star remake of Deep Purple's classic ‘Smoke on the Water'.
Jon is in strong demand here and overseas as a corporate speaker. Companies who have hired Jon to speak to them include Hewlett-Packard, Commonwealth Bank, McDonald’s, ANZ, Toyota, NAB, BMW, Fosters and many others. Jon’s speaking engagements have taken place in Australia, Italy, Taiwan, America, the United Kingdom, France and Singapore.
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