On Earth Day today's doodle reminds us of the impacts of climate change The image will change several times throughout the day and reminds us of the causes, risks and actions we must take to combat it.
By Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki Edited by Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki
This article was translated from our Spanish edition.
Today, April 22, is Earth Day, and the day's doodle serves as a reminder of the current state of affairs. The image shows real images taken from Google Earth that allow comparison and the impact of climate change on our planet: glaciers that have ceased to exist, sites devoured by water, drought zones, hurricanes.
The image displayed by the search engine will change throughout the day and by clicking on it, the user will be taken to a page with search results and six buttons with information on climate change and the actions we must take to combat it: summary, causes, effects, actions, news and videos.
According to the page , climate change "refers to long-term changes in temperatures and weather patterns . These changes may be natural, but since the 19th century, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, which produces gases that trap the heat".
Although some actions depend on governments, there is much we can do from home to contribute and try to stop it: recycle and minimize the impact we cause by generating less waste, use sustainable means of transport (such as public transport, cycling or walking ), save on electricity consumption, consume less meat (its production causes between 25% and 40% of CO2 emissions) and consume "zero kilometer" food, that is, that has been produced near the locality in where do we meet.
Why is Earth Day celebrated?
The idea of setting a date to raise awareness about the health of our planet was raised by US Senator Gaylord A. Nelson , recognized for his fight for the environment in the 1960s. He is considered the father of modern environmental movement. In 1969 he organized a demonstration that mobilized more than 20 million people. The politician died in 2005 at the age of 89.
The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, but it was not until 2009 when the United Nations Organization made it official through a signed resolution. In 2021, during a virtual summit on climate change, US President Joe Biden referred to Gaylord Nelson in a press release explaining: "Earth Day was originally conceived and brought to life by a dedicated public servant : the late Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. Senator Nelson also changed the world by creating a legacy of environmental protection through Earth Day and all the advancements spawned by it, and he did it not because it was cool, but because it was the right thing to do for our children. and grandchildren."
