On the occasion of Earth Day, Google published a doodle on its homepage of a woman reading a book under a large tree while her daughter carries a sapling to plant.
A video of the doodle shows people teaching their young ones to plant trees, a lesson passed from one generation to the next. “This year’s annual Earth Day Doodle highlights how everyone can plant the seed to a brighter future — one sapling at a time!” Google wrote.
“The planet we call home continues to nurture life and inspire wonder. Our environment works hard to sustain us, which calls for us to return the favour. Today’s video Doodle shows a variety of trees being planted within natural habitats, one of the many ways we can do our part to keep our Earth healthy for future generations.”
“This Earth Day — and everyday — we encourage everyone to find one small act they can do to restore our Earth. It’s bound to take root and blossom into something beautiful,” it added.
The idea for Earth Day was birthed by Gaylord Nelson, a US senator from Wisconsin. It was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, when around 20 million Americans took to the streets across the country for a healthy and sustainable environment. Today, the day is recognised to emphasise the need to protect the planet.
Visual artist Sophie Diao, when asked what makes the day meaning, said Earth Day is special every year, but this year in particular she has grown to appreciate the grounding influence of trees.
She said every year we experience catastrophic climate events that remind us what happens when we neglect to care for the planet. “Earth Day is a chance for all of us to take a step back from our day-to-day lives and look at the bigger picture, to take a deep breath and remember that we’re a part of nature,” she said.
