Ocsober is an Australian fundraising initiative that encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October. The money raised by voluntary participants goes to Life Education Australia, the organisation behind the educational mascot, Healthy Harold. For over 30 years, the well-known

giraffe The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, ''Giraffa camelopardalis ...

has been teaching Australian children how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...

and

alcohol abuse Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of unhealthy alcohol drinking behaviors, ranging from binge drinking to alcohol dependence, in extreme cases resulting in health problems for individuals and large scale social problems such as alcohol-relat ...

. During 2014, Ocsober aimed to raise $1,000,000 to help Life Education Australia and Healthy Harold go into even more schools across Australia. Ocsober is also used as an opportunity to highlight the growing danger of

binge drinking Binge drinking, or heavy episodic drinking, is drinking alcoholic beverages with an intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time, but definitions ( see below) vary considerably. Binge drinking ...

and

, particularly among young Australians. The statistics provided by Life Education estimates that 3,200 Australians die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption each year, while 81,000 end up in hospitals for the same reason. The organisation behind this initiative is also hoping to promote more permanent changes to Australian drinking habits. Participants will not just help a good cause but also might enjoy other potential benefits from a month off

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

including feeling healthier and fitter, weight loss and the chance to try new sober activities. Outside of Australia, in countries such as the US and UK, Ocsober is celebrated as "Sober October".

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.ocsober.com.au/ Fasting Alcohol in Australia Fundraising events