{{Short description|Australian environmental organisation}} {{Advert|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox organization | name = Planet Ark | full_name = Planet Ark Environmental Foundation | logo = PA-Logo.jpg | formation = 1992 | founder = {{ubl|Paul Klymenko|Peter Shenstone|Jon Dee}} | type = Not-for-profit | status = Charity | headquarters = Sydney, Australia | region_served = Australia | website = {{URL|https://planetark.org/}} | former_name = Ark Australia }}
'''Planet Ark Environmental Foundation''' is an Australian non-profit environmental organization founded in 1992. Planet Ark aims to partner with organizations in the public and private sectors to help find ways to reduce impact on planet Earth. The focus areas are the environmental impacts of human consumption in the home, the workplace, and the community.<ref name="Planet Ark website">{{cite web|title=About Planet Ark|url=http://www.planetark.org/about/}}</ref><ref name="EnviroLink">{{cite web|title=Planet Ark Environmental Foundation|url=http://www.envirolink.org/resource.html?catid=5&itemid=1040|publisher=EnviroLink|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> Planet Ark's campaigns include '[https://planetark.org/programs/cartridges-4-planet-ark Cartridges 4 Planet Ark]', Australia's '[https://planetark.org/programs/national-recycling-week National Recycling Week]', and the country's biggest annual community tree planting event, [https://treeday.planetark.org/#:~:text=While%20every%20day%20can%20be,Day%20is%20Sunday%203rd%20December. National Tree Day]. The organisation operates from its office in Sydney. In May 2025, it was placed in voluntary administration.
==History== Ark Australia was founded in 1992 by Paul Klymenko, Peter Shenstone, and former Ark UK member Jon Dee. At the time, curbside recycling was in its infancy, and environmental information was very limited. The organization was commissioned to create 300 "Save the Planet" videos involving high profile celebrities and soon became known as Planet Ark. Several major events are organized by Planet Ark, including National Tree Day, founded in 1996 with Olivia Newton-John; National Recycling Week; and the Schools Recycle Right Challenge. The organization began many high profile campaigns that have since either moved to other providers or become staples of the public recycling sphere, including 'Cards 4 Planet Ark', 'Phones for Planet Ark', Steel Can and Aluminum Can (Al Cans) recycling. To demonstrate that cleaning products could be as effective without a heavy chemical composition, Planet Ark released the Aware Laundry Powder range in 1994. This was soon followed by 100% recycled toilet tissue.
In May 2025, it was placed in voluntary administration.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-01/planet-ark-goes-into-voluntary-administration/105241144 Australia's environmental not-for-profit Planet Ark goes into voluntary administration] ''ABC News'' 2 May 2025</ref>
==Campaigns== Planet Ark's campaigns seek to promote positive action that directly changes people's behavior. The organization intends to be non-political and non-confrontational, aiming to unite people and business in action. Planet Ark's main objectives are to promote sustainable resource use, encourage low carbon lifestyles, and connect people with nature.<ref name="Planet Ark About">{{cite web |title=About Planet Ark |url=http://www.planetark.org/about/ |accessdate=23 August 2012}}</ref> Planet Ark works with businesses and endorses a number of commercial products it considers to be environmentally friendly in production and manufacture, including recycled toilet paper, cleaning products, and car tires.<ref name="EnviroLink" /><ref name="Planet Ark Partners">{{cite web |title=Our partners |url=http://planetark.org/ourpartners/ |accessdate=19 April 2014 |publisher=Planet Ark}}</ref>
Planet Ark's campaigns include:<ref name="Planet Ark Campaigns">{{cite web |title=About Planet Ark's Environmental Campaigns |url=http://www.planetark.org/campaigns/}}</ref> * '''National Tree Day''' is Australia's largest tree-planting and nature care event. 2014 was the biggest year in the event's history, with more than 4,000 sites and events and almost 300,000 people taking part, with similar numbers participating every year.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Tree Day|url=http://treeday.planetark.org/|website=National Tree Day|publisher=Planet Ark}}</ref> * '''National Recycling Week''' is the annual opportunity for Australian schools, workplaces, councils, and the public to focus on the benefits of recycling. In 2013, more than 70,000 children participated in the Schools Recycling Right Challenge.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Recycling Week|url=http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/about/|website=National Recycling Week|publisher=Planet Ark}}</ref> * '''Cartridges 4 Planet Ark''' is a partnership between Planet Ark, the recycling center Close the Loop and six of the largest cartridge manufacturers – Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta and Kyocera. By 2017 more than 30 million cartridges had been diverted from landfill with zero waste to landfill.<ref>{{cite web|title=Close the Loop|url=http://www.closetheloop.com.au/product-stewardship/cartridges-4-planet-ark/|website=Close the Loop}}</ref> * '''BusinessRecycling.com.au''' is designed to make recycling at work easy. The site lists recycling services for more than 90 different materials ranging from aluminum can to fly ash and from packaging to batteries. The site is made possible through support of the NSW EPA.<ref>{{cite web|title=EPA Grants|url=http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/wastegrants/business-recycling.htm|website=NSW Environmental Protection Agency|publisher=NSW Government|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref> * '''RecyclingNearYou.com.au''' is a comprehensive directory of the recycling services offered by more than 500 councils around Australia.<ref name="RecyclingNearYou">{{cite web|title=Recycling Near You|url=http://www.recyclingnearyou.com.au}}</ref> Each year millions of enquiries are made to the site covering items that can go in their home recycling to those items that must be recycled through dedicated schemes. * '''Make it Australian Recycled''' was launched in partnership with Australian Paper to promote the practice of purchasing consumer goods made from recycled materials to Australians.<ref name="Make it Australian Recycled">{{cite web|title=Make it Australian Recycled|url=http://planetark.org/campaigns/make-it-recycled.cfm}}</ref> * '''Make it Wood''' is designed to encourage individuals and businesses to use responsibility sourced wood as a building material.<ref>{{cite web|title=Planet Ark Power|url=http://planetark.org/smartenergy/gozero.cfm/|website=Planet Ark}}</ref> * The '''Australasian Recycling Label''' was developed by Planet Ark and Green Chip with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organization<ref>{{cite web|title=APCO|url=https://www.packagingcovenant.org.au|website=Packaging Covenant|publisher=Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation}}</ref> to create a standardized labeling system to allow consumers to make better decisions about packaging recyclability.<ref>{{cite web|title=Australasian Recycling Label|url=http://planetark.org/recyclinglabel/index.cfm|website=Planet Ark}}</ref>
== Celebrity supporters == Celebrities who have fronted Planet Ark campaigns include Pierce Brosnan, Kamahl, Olivia Newton-John, Jamie Durie, Steve Irwin, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Shelley Craft, Richard Branson, and TV personality Tim Webster. Current ambassadors include surfer Layne Beachley, TV personality James Treble, ABC's ''Gardening Australia'' host Costa Georgiadis, ''Grand Designs Australia'' host Peter Maddison, author Anita Van Dyke, Dr. Amanda Lloyd, Magdalena Roze, Ranger Stacey, Candice Dixon, and children's sensation dirtgirlworld.
Planet Ark's official spokesperson is environmentalist Rebecca Gilling.
==Criticism== Planet Ark's carbon capture and sustainable building materials campaign 'Make it Wood' was criticized by Jon Dee and Pat Cash who appeared on television to complain about the links to the timber industry and involvement in drafting the Australian Forestry Standard.<ref name="ABC cut ties">{{cite web|last=Harvey|first=Adam|title=Planet Ark founders cut ties with organisation|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-31/planet-ark-founders-cut-ties-with-lost-organisation/4167146|publisher=ABC News (Australia)|accessdate=19 April 2014|date=1 August 2012<!-- - 07:43:05-->}}</ref> which Nick Xenophon has said "raises some serious questions of a potential conflict of interest"<ref name="ABC timber storm">{{cite web|last=Harvey|first=Adam|title=Planet Ark sails in to timber storm|url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3557735.htm|publisher=ABC|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> and caused Christine Milne to criticize the organization.<ref name="ABC timber storm"/> Planet Ark responded to the enquiries in a letter explaining its position in detail.<ref>{{cite web|title=Planet Ark Responds to 7.30 Report|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/101618689/Planet-Ark-s-response-to-7-30|publisher=Scribd}}</ref> The Australian Forestry Standard is an attempt to create an Australian specific standard, as opposed to the international Forest Stewardship Council and Planet Ark recommends choosing FSC wood products.<ref>{{cite web|title=Choosing Wood|url=http://makeitwood.org/choosing-wood/|website=Make it Wood|publisher=Planet Ark}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Ecology|Environment}} * Conservation movement * Environmental movement * Waste management in Australia
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.planetark.org/}} * [https://treeday.planetark.org/ National Tree Day - website] * [https://recyclingweek.planetark.org/ National Recycling Week] * [https://cartridges.planetark.org Cartridges 4 Planet Ark] * [https://schoolsrecycle.planetark.org Schools Recycle Right Challenge website] * [https://makeitwood.org Make it Wood website] * [https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/ Recycling Near You website] * [https://planetark.org/smartenergy/gozero.cfm/ Planet Ark Power campaign page] * [https://planetarkpower.com/ Planet Ark Power website]
Category:Environmental organisations based in Australia Category:Nature conservation in Australia Category:Organisations based in Sydney Category:1992 establishments in Australia