June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

droughtThe United Nations General Assembly declared this day in 1992 to be a day of awareness and action against drought and desertification.

From water crisis to land erosion and all of the other issues that affect land desertification and drought, you can keep up to speed with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’s website.

Since global warming is one of the main causes of drought, its solvency is integral in stopping worldwide drought and desertification. In order to take part in today’s observance and act to stop desertification and drought, here are some activities you may wish to do to help curb global warming, reduce your own carbon footprint and conserve water.

Learn about the issues at the website above, and educate others by spreading the link via email. Or, simply talk to friends and family about these issues and how important they are not just for people impacted right this second, but for the world at large.

Don’t buy bottled water. Install a water purification system in your home instead.

Check all of the water sources in your home for leaks and repair them. This is a good thing to do with all of your appliances, vehicles and anything requiring energy use.

Insulate your water pipes.

Eat local food and avoid excess shipping and packaging.

Plant trees. This is one of the best ways to prevent land erosion and also offsets carbon dioxide emissions.

Reduce what you use by buying less packaging, not discarding every gadget and gizmo for the latest upgrade, and simply buying only what you really need.

Don’t use the toilet as a trashcan. Only flush when you have to, and displace some of the water by inserting a small plastic bottle—filled with rocks and water, screwed tightly shut—into your toilet’s tank.

Use low-flow shower heads and if you must purchase a new toilet, make it a low-flush toilet.

Re-use everything you can. Most things can be repurposed for other uses. And if you can’t reuse something, have a yard sale, donate your item, or ask friends, family and neighbors if they may have a use for it.

Only wash dishes and clothes on a full load.

Recycle what you are finished using. If your area doesn’t have a recycling program, ask your city to start one. From glass to paper to cardboard to metal, almost everything can be recycled these days.