Making change with ING Dreamstarter

We're making change with the ING Dreamstarter this year.

When drinking from a straw, one’s mind doesn’t typically jump to plastic pollution in the ocean, but we want to change that.

Since launching in October 2018, we've put over 100,000 reusable bamboo straws in people's hands around Australia and across the globe! This has diverted over 43 million single use plastic straws from our landfills, natural environments and oceans.  

But with the help of ING, our impact is about to get a whole lot bigger.

This week, we are super excited to announce that theotherstraw has been selected by ING Bank to be a participant in their Dreamstarter crowdfunding campaign.

What is the Dreamstarter crowdfunding campaign? 

Every year, ING selects 8 social enterprises from across Australia who are doing purposeful work to better our planet and people. These purpose-driven businesses are providing solutions to address Australia’s biggest social and environmental problems and driving positive social impact. They're putting our people and planet first, over profit.

Previous ING Dreamstarters have included the Clean Coast Collective, Oceanzen Swimwear and North - who supports and celebrates the rich history of Indigenous Artists. These social businesses are out there to make the world a better, more sustainable place.

Since launching in 2013, ING Dreamstarter has helped 80 Australian social enterprises, supported more than 7,500 financial pledges and contributed over $1.8 million to helping businesses create positive change. How cool is that?!

Learn more about the program here.

So what does this mean for theotherstraw? 

Well, besides collaborating with probably the most inspiring social enterprises from around Australia over the next couple of months we are also currently running a crowdfunding campaign. And this is where theotherstraw's tribe and community comes in. Being selected for the ING Dreamstarter program requires us to run a crowdfunding campaign from June 18 to July 18. We hope for a minimum goal of $10,000, with a final goal of $20,000, and ING will pledge up to half of this. We will be crowdfunding via an online crowdfunding platform called Start Some Good.

                  
What will we be crowdfunding for?
Ultimately, we want our impact to go beyond our reusable bamboo straws. 

That is why we’ll be crowdfunding to develop our new product range - ‘theotheressentials’. This new range of sustainable products will reduce single use plastics entering our natural environments and oceans by equipping businesses and individuals with sustainable, reusable alternatives.  All contributions to the crowdfunding campaign will go towards producing this new range.

Big businesses like ING Direct are helping social enterprises such as theotherstraw do good and be financially sustainable businesses. But, in order to thrive, we also need support from our community and tribe.

Together, we can turn the tide on plastic pollution and protect our oceans and natural environments. Your contribution can make a real difference - show your support for a plastic-free future by pledging to our crowdfunding campaign today: ingaus.me/theotherstraw

We want to change the world, but we can't do it without you.