American Idol winner David Cook, left, and Neil Tiemann, right, perform for students of Biruh Tesfa, a United Nations program supported by the UN Foundation, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tuesday, March 30, 2010. Cook traveled with the UN Foundation to raise awareness about the importance of girls education for a special episode of IDOL GIVES BACK, be be aired on April 21st. (Photo/Stuart Ramson/UN Foundation)

What are the global goals and how do I get involved?

In September 2015, the United Nations will adopt the Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the global goals. There are 17 goals in total and each is designed to tackle a separate, major world problem, such as extreme poverty or world hunger.

At their most basic level, each global goal starts with and ends with you and me.

We have a chance to really make a difference in these issues– for our generation and all the ones that come after us– as long as we make the next 15 years count. However, we can’t do this alone.

Below are just a few ways that you can get involved with the global goals:

1. Keep up-to-date. The world, and its news, goes by very fast. Global Daily is designed to bring together the biggest news and make it accessible to everyone. You can also check out the Guardian’s section and Devex’ coverage on the #globalgoals, among many others. There are all kinds of resources you can use to stay in touch with these big issues!

2. Get involved! There are, at this very moment, people who could benefit a lot from your help. Whether you’re volunteering, donating, or fundraising, no contribution is too small! Global Citizen is an excellent resource if you aren’t really sure where or how to start helping.

3. Get the word out. The more people who know about the global goals, the better. Even one voice can make a huge difference: you never know how many people you might reach. Sign up for the official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and start clicking that share button!

4. Be a part of the solution. If you’ve seen the full list of global goals, you know a lot of them involve sustainability and conservation. Even small changes to your lifestyle could make a huge impact: ride your bike instead of driving. Take public transportation. Recycle. They may seem like little things, but they can go a long way.

5. BE the solution. The world needs innovators, entrepreneurs and thinkers right now that can help tackle the big issues with new ideas. If you’ve got an idea to help turn the global goals into a reality, share it with your friends or on Twitter with @GlobalDaily. MAKE IT a reality. Our future generations will thank you.