Every year in April, World Health Day is celebrated. World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization. This is a way that people can spread awareness about health issues that happen throughout the world. 

Every year the organization comes up with a theme to celebrate the day. Each theme is based on a certain illness like diabetes or polio to things like road safety and saving the trees. This year’s theme is Our Planet, Our Health. One major issue in the world is pollution. When you’re driving on a highway or boating on a river, you can see trash piled up in the trees and ditches. Think about the people that go out and pick up the trash. There are not enough people in the world to walk along banks to pick up trash. During the pandemic, people weren’t able to gather indoors so that led to more time being spent outdoors causing more trash outside and in the ocean.

The Potosi FFA club takes a day and picks up the trash on the highway. Junior Lilly Paisley, Vice President, was one of the few members to go and do highway trash pickup. “ Although waking up early is hard for me, I love getting out and cleaning the community.” She enjoys being out in hopes of making the planet a little cleaner. 

Others that want to be involved and help clean the planet can have a jumpstart and do these things: 

• Volunteer at local organizations
• Become a blood or bone marrow donor 
• Stay healthy overall and be thankful for your medical staff. 
• Recycle and take part in road pick-ups

If you want to be more involved in this idea of cleaning the Earth not only can you do the things listed above, but you can also go to the World Health Organization website (www.who.int) to donate to this cause and many other charities throughout the world.