Today. The World Day to Combat Desertification.

This year's theme is "Conserving land and water = Securing our common future".

Do something everyday to moderate negative effects but today DO MORE! Stop for a minute! and think about your environment, think about the suffering of our wonderful home, planet Earth. Ask yourself "how can I help?". You'll realize there are so many things you can do to help in your daily life without particular effort and without harming yourself nor any other living being. Please take a minute and think. Then do. Make one little change. And than another one, and another again. Beside doing the right thing for all, your mind and heart will benefit of that simple great constant change to better life.

Love,

anam

The World Day to Combat Desertification - 17 June

Caring for the Earth

The earth is not only the common heritage of all humankind but also the ultimate source of life. By over-exploiting its resources we are undermining the very basis of our own life. All around, signs abound of the destruction caused by human activity and of the degradation of nature. Therefore, the protection and conservation of the earth is not a question of morality or ethics but a question of our survival. How we respond to this challenge will affect not only this generation but also many generations to come.

In the case of such global issues as the conservation of the Earth, and indeed in tackling all problems, the human mind is the key factor. Whether they are problems of economics, international relations, science, technology, medicine or ecology, although these issues seem to be beyond anyone individual's capacity, where the problem begins and where the answer must first be sought is within. In order to change the external situation we must first change within ourselves. If we want a beautiful garden we must first have a blueprint in the imagination, a vision. Then that idea can be implemented and the external garden can materialize. Destruction of nature resources results from ignorance, lack of respect for the Earth's living things, and greed.

In the first place we must strive to overcome these states of mind by' developing an awareness of the interdependent nature of all phenomena, an attitude of wishing not to harm other living creatures and an understanding of the need for compassion. Because of the interdependent nature of everything we cannot hope to solve the multifarious problems with a one-sided or self-centered attitude. History shows us how often in the past people have failed to cooperate. Our failures in the past are the result of ignorance of our own interdependent nature. What we need now is a holistic approach towards problems combined with a genuine sense of universal responsibility based on love and compassion.

by Dalai Lama

http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2009/menu.php