The Dark Reality of the Dreary Drought
Picture this - you wake up one day and find yourself in a lush, cheery meadow. There, you can’t help but get lost in your own little world. Everything is perfect; the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining brightly. Now, imagine the exact opposite situation, where you wake up lying in a dry, dreary wasteland. Here, the birds shriek in agony, the plants are all dead and droopy, and you can tell that here, no rain has fallen for many months. This is the story of the Dreary Drought.
Why are Droughts so Dreary?
Droughts are like nightmares, except, unlike nightmares, they aren’t in your head! They are truly real, and the effect of them is felt by millions of people across the globe. People of many professions, such as environmentalists, ecologists, hydrologists, meteorologists, geologists and agricultural scientists, have their full attention set on the drought. Before we explain how to prevent them, what are these truly despicable things? Droughts are a period of time when rain or snow has not fallen for a long time. This can range from a couple of months to many decades. They are a deadly and silent killer. This is because it is nearly impossible to find out when a drought has begun nor when a drought has ended.
Don’t point fingers, but…
Who is responsible? Well, some may think that droughts are only caused naturally, which isn’t exactly the case. Of course, droughts can be caused naturally, such as, in the form of abnormal weather patterns, but unfortunately, WE are the main cause of the drought. Seemingly harmless acts, such as cutting down trees, can be a huge factor in our drought issue. Let’s take deforestation as an example - as plants release water into the atmosphere, our carelessly cutting down trees is making it more likely for a drought to occur.
Is the Drought that much of a big deal?
Yes! So many people are being affected by the many disadvantageous effects of the drought. 36 million people from Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia are being affected at this minute. Affected in what way, you may ask? As there has been little to no rainfall in these areas for many months, there are fewer sources of clean drinking water. Fewer sources of clean drinking water mean people must resort to drinking unsanitary, muddy, bacteria-infested water. This could cause cholera, dysentery, typhoid, etc. Drinking this unclean water could even be fatal.
Don’t feel hopeless because…
We all have the power inside us to make a difference! If you notice a leaky faucet in your home, fixing it would be a wise idea. Or else, if you can’t, putting a bucket underneath it to catch the water and using that water to garden some crops in your garden would suffice. Or, when showering, instead of using a bathtub, why not use an ultra-low-flow showerhead? Before you feel unhappy that you have to sacrifice your bathtub, just remember that you have the power inside you to make a difference, so you should make decisions wisely. Do you already do these two things? Great! Now, if you can, make some posters about droughts and how they affect millions and millions of people around the world. And then, show them to classmates, colleagues, friends, family members, and even random strangers! I promise that if we all do these things, we will be going one step closer to ending our battle with the Dreary Drought.
References:
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/drought/
https://www.rescue.org/uk/article/what-drought-causes-impact-and-how-we-can-help
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-safety-tips
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169410004257
Author Biography
Iva is a student from the prestigious Leaders of Tomorrow Programme 2023 by theCircle of Ugail Foundation. She is 12 years old and studies at Ghiyasuddin International School. She enjoys writing, drawing, and playing chess in her spare time. She aspires to become a world-renowned writer one day.
Cite this article as:
Aishath Iva Hassan, The Dark Reality of the Dreary Drought, theCircle Composition, Volume 4, (2023).