Dry July is an annual event that encourages people to give up arguably the most common vice in the world – alcohol – for the entire month of July.
In addition to the opportunity to fundraise for people affected by cancer, Dry July helps you understand the monetary and financial impact of your regular drinking habits. The calculator on the Dry July website collates the number of drinks you consume every week and then shows you how many calories and dollars you can save by going alcohol-free for a month.
But Dry July isn’t just about raising money and cutting down your calories. There’s a much more powerful reality at play.
The statistics speak for themselves
When you drill down into the realities of alcohol consumption in Australia, it doesn’t make for happy reading. Here are just a few of the standout figures from recent research:
- Australians consumed up to 191 million litres of alcohol in 2018 alone – enough to fill 74 Olympic-sized pools.
- Alcohol-related incidents cost the Australian healthcare system $1.6 billion.
- Businesses see $6 billion in lost productivity due to alcohol.
- All up, alcohol costs the Australian society $14.3 billion every year. [SJ1]
But there are figures even more distressing than the financial cost. In a Personal Safety Survey from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than half of the female respondents who had endured a physical or sexual attack from a male said alcohol or drugs had contributed to the violence.
While we can’t ourselves stop every instance of alcohol-related violence, we can be more mindful of how our day-to-day decisions impact other peoples’ lives – whether that’s taking a month away from alcohol or finding out where our super fund is investing our money.
Making smarter investment choices
Right now, your super fund could be investing in alcohol businesses and therefore acting as a silent contributor to Australia’s widespread alcohol-abuse and domestic-violence problems.
Making the decision to not invest with a fund that partners with these organisations is just one way you can stem the flow of alcohol-induced violence and help educate Australians about the realities of irresponsible drinking.
By choosing an ethical super fund like Crescent Wealth, you’ll be making a value-driven decision about where to invest your hard-earned money. We adhere to the globally recognised standards for Islamic investment principles, and we always consider and support the wellbeing of future generations. You can make a real difference through the way you invest your savings.
If you are interested in switching to a super fund that displays your Islamic values and ethical standards, switching is super easy or call us on 1300 926 626.
