Poverty is a problem that exists for many different reasons than the other issues focused on during awareness events. Poverty is not a disease, nor is it a biological condition. In fact, for the most part the problem of poverty has already been solved. However, since it does not create imminent death (like AIDS or pancreatic cancer might), and there are mixed feelings about how the problem should be handled, poverty continues to burden more Americans than you might be aware of. So, to implement a solution to poverty in America once and for all, the best thing you can do is raise awareness.January is Poverty in America Awareness Month, and that means it is almost time to start educating people about the nature of the problem that exists, and what they can do to help. To give you a head start, let’s examine a few facts about poverty in America. These facts are not posted to create a bleak picture about the condition of American poverty, but rather to create a sense of urgency in the matter which will inspire people to give poverty the same fight that they would give to any other awareness event. To understand the facts, it is important to note how the United States government defines the poverty line. For a family of four, a combined income of less than $22,050 a year is considered below the poverty line:

• Poverty is getting worse in America. In 2009, the official poverty rate was 14.3 percent, up from 13.2 percent in 2008.
• From 2000-2008, the number of Americans in poverty grew by more than 9 million
• Americans living with incomes below half the poverty line has risen to over 17 million

Taking this striking data into consideration, the logical question to ask is – what can I do to make a difference? Well, the first step in the process towards ending poverty is educating as many people as possible about the facts listed above. This will open their eyes to the realization that there are many more people in their own country struggling than they realize. You can choose to focus on eradicating poverty specifically on your state, or concentrate more broadly on the entire country. You can hold meetings in schools and in community centers where people in your town will come to learn about the root causes of poverty and how to prevent them.Once you have raised enough awareness about poverty and gotten enough people on board for the cause, then it is time to act. Taking action against poverty can be anything from creating a fundraiser to continuing to raise awareness across the country. You might want to calculate your monthly expenses, and then donate a portion of your leftover savings to helping those in need. If you can encourage the people around you to do the same, you will be able to get people out of the vicious cycle of poverty and give them a better shot at a decent life.

Contacting authority and media sources is another way to take action. Simply put, it is extremely difficult to raise awareness about poverty the “grassroots” way when compared to how much attention you could receive from being on the 6 o’clock news. Try contacting your local television station and see if they would pick up a story about Poverty in America Awareness Month, and what you are doing to address the problem. Writing letters to your representative in Congress will also have a ripple effect. If enough people write a letter to the same person, it has the effect of a formal petition in which that congressman realizes that he had better act or risk losing his office in the next term.

One of the lesser known awareness events in December is National Handwashing Awareness Week. While this event takes a backseat to much larger December events like World AIDS Day and drunk driving awareness, the importance of washing your hands still needs to be stated. This year, National Handwashing Awareness Week took place from December 5-11. However, since winter is the most important time to maintain good hygiene (so you don’t get sick or get others sick), the message associated with handwashing should not be lost.

According to the Mayo Clinic, washing your hands frequently is the most effective way of eliminating the spread of germs. We all touch the same doorknobs, push the same elevator buttons, and type on the same keyboards. Since people live on top of each other at work, at home, and within the community, it is best to make sure that your hands are kept clean at all times.

There are certain situations when it is most important to wash your hands. These times include but are not limited to: after using the bathroom, when you are sick or helping someone else who is sick, after blowing your nose or coughing on your hand, and after taking out the garbage. These are the instances when germs are mostly likely to be spread, and so taking the preventive measure of washing hands will help limit the amount of germs in your area.Washing your hands is a pretty simple task, and it only takes a moment. The best way to wash your hands is with soap and warm water. Simply wet your hands and then apply the soap, scrub your hands together for about 20 seconds. It is helpful to make sure the soap gets underneath your fingernails and up to your wrists, so that you make sure you have covered the areas which are most susceptible to germs.

Interestingly enough, antibacterial soaps are not as effective in handwashing for two reasons. First, the more antibacterial soap that you use, the less practice your immune system has in killing off the germs which remain. So when it’s time for your immune system to be put to work, it won’t be as well prepared as it could be. Second, the use of antibacterial soap will make certain germs more resistant and stronger, making them tougher to kill in the long run.

So this December, make sure that you make a point of washing your hands thoroughly and consistently. Spread awareness about handwashing by explaining to your family, friends, and c0-workers the importance of maintaining your hygiene through the wintertime. Don’t worry if they call you a “germ freak” – you will be the one who avoids sickness and fatigue when you need your health the most.

There are two major awareness events to consider in December. One of them is AIDS awareness (World AIDS Day), and that was covered in the last entry. The other important December awareness event is drunk driving awareness, a cause that has been promoted for years with limited success.

Every year, you hear about the irresponsible people who drink alcohol or take drugs, and then get behind the wheel of a car. They put their own life at risk every time they do it, and much more importantly, the lives of the innocent bystanders around them. Organizations like M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) have been around for decades trying to spread awareness about this problem, and educate people about the risk factors associated with it. Yet, people continue to drive under the influence regardless of the consequences.

The interesting thing about drunk driving awareness is that while most of the other awareness events highlighted here are focused on curing diseases, drunk driving is a problem that occurs solely because of the decisions of people. If everyone made the conscious decision to never get behind the wheel of a car after drinking, then drunk driving would be cured instantly! As this is not the case, it is up to people like you to get involved with drunk driving awareness so that you can help to further the disapproving association that society has with the act, and educate children at a young age about the dangers of driving under the influence.

Understand that the decisions people make can be heavily swayed by the way in which peers perceive them. So, if you can get an entire school in your community to believe that drunk driving is reckless and immature, you can prevent potentially dangerous situations. For instance, when one kid at a party decides to drive after drinking, he may not be so inclined to do so if his friends think that it is not “cool”.

Contrary to the goal of other awareness causes, you are not necessarily trying to raise money for the research and development of a medicine or new technology. Rather, the objective of drunk driving awareness is to change the perception of the public so that people stop themselves from drunk driving before the situation ever occurs. Sure, every cause needs a donation fund to help them print and distribute educational materials, but the fact that drunk driving can be prevented by a shift in thinking allows you to be much more diverse and focused in your approach.

If you want to get involved with drunk driving awareness this December, you may want to consider lobbying your local and state officials for heavier penalties on drunk drivers. Remember, drunk drivers are not violent offenders or career criminals – a long jail sentence and large fine is going to be an effective deterrent for repeat offenses. Some states have proposed marking the driver’s license of convicted drunk drivers with a symbol or stamp that indicates your act. As any employer, insurance company, or other will commonly make a copy of your driver’s license, this drunk driving stamp can be equated with a brand or “scarlet letter”, something that nobody wants to go through life having.

So make sure you do everything you can this month to get involved with drunk driving awareness – you would be surprised as to how much your efforts can make a difference. You might even end up saving some lives.

Yesterday was the first day of December, and more importantly, World AIDS Day. Every December 1st, countless communities and organizations come together to raise awareness about the existence of the AIDS virus. To put the extent of the disease into some perspective, more than 90,000 people are living with HIV in the United Kingdom. To go a step further, over a quarter of the people living with HIV go undiagnosed. These statistics, taken from worldaidsday.org help to emphasize just how crucial World AIDS Day is for the making sure that these numbers steadily decrease in the years to come. People are not always aware of the risks associated with the AIDS virus, and there are plenty of myths and rumors that surround the disease as well. Let’s quickly focus on some of the most important points concerning HIV and AIDS, so that you can use this information to educate those around you:

• HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and it is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system.
• HIV and AIDS are not the same – a person with HIV will develop AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) when their immune system is no longer able to combat various diseases which a healthy immune system would be able to handle
• HIV is most commonly spread through four mediums: intravenous drug usage, sexual transmission, blood transfusion, and during pregnancy. In all four of these exchanges, one of the people involved must presently have the HIV virus. It is a pure fallacy that HIV can be transferred by shaking someone’s hand, or sharing drinks. As long are you make responsible decisions, you can be pretty much certain that you will not contract the HIV virus.
• There is presently no cure for HIV. However, due to recent advancements in the research associated with the disease, there are treatments available which allow people with HIV to live a normal life as long as the virus is diagnosed in time.

In order for the event to be successful, World AIDS Day must accomplish two goals: 1) educate the world about how to make responsible decisions to avoid contracting HIV; and 2) encourage people to make any donations that they can to be put towards finding a cure for AIDS. Awareness events as important as this one tend to have a exponential effect on the population it is appealing to. So for instance, if you join in the fight against AIDS, then your neighbor will be much more interested in doing so as well. Once you and your neighbor get involved, the whole block wants to become part of the movement. This is an important concept to consider since most people often believe that there is little they can do as an individual to make an impact on a problem of such magnitude.

Keeping the above information in mind, you now know that every bit of effort you make in the fight against AIDS will contribute towards the overall triumph of man over the disease. If you did not know about World AIDS Day this year, you can make an effort to get prepared for next year. Whether you take part in raising money at an AIDS charity event or just distribute educational materials in your community, you will ultimately have the chance to save lives.