By Mandy Froelich / Truth Theory
If you’ve been using the internet at all in recent weeks, you likely saw a number of friends participating in the #10YearChallenge. The trend requires one to post two photos of themselves side by side: one from 2009, and the other from 2019. Among other things, the “challenge” has been mocked for being narcissistic, ageist, and even a bit sexist. But now, the hashtag is being used to draw awareness to a more pressing concern: climate change.
The shift occurred when football player Mesut Ozil compared what appears to be a large iceberg on the left with a melted iceberg on the right. As the BBC reports, the meme isn’t entirely accurate. However, there is no denying that melting glaciers and ice sheets continues to be an issue.
The only #10YearChallenge we should care about 🙏🏼🌍 #M1Ö pic.twitter.com/S8hU7gNgZJ
— Mesut Özil (@M10) January 17, 2019
According to Nasa, approximately 127 gigatonnes of ice mass is lost every year in Antarctica. Meanwhile, Greenland loses 286 gigatonnes annually. Furthermore, thanks to humanity’s disregard for the environment, the oceans are being emptied of fish and filled with plastic pollution. The list goes on and on…
It is past time the general public care about climate change. According to scientists, we have nearly reached a “tipping point” at which it will be impossible to reverse the effects of global warming. It is for this reason that the only #10YearChallenge you should care about should involve planet Earth, and what you can do to help her.
The Rondonia region of Brazil originally had over 200,000 km2 of rainforest but has become one of the most deforested places in the Amazon. Side by side images shows C. 2006 to 2018. #10YearChallenge pic.twitter.com/S0rGPDQ0ZJ
— DiCaprio Foundation (@dicapriofdn) January 17, 2019
Wyświetl ten post na Instagramie.
Wyświetl ten post na Instagramie.
Fact: The total world forest loss till date is 7.3 million hectares per year.
Fact: Trees are important constituents of the ecosystem by absorbing carbon.
Fact: Time to take #ClimateAction against deforestation before it’s too late.#10yearchallenge pic.twitter.com/1jRlRszrhD— Carbon Consulting Co (@carbonconsult) January 22, 2019
Rivers and lakes are also shrinking as growing populations demand more water. Pesticide and fertilizer run-off from farmland can also pollute what little is left. pic.twitter.com/2gnzyMVR3S
— Business Insider🇮🇳 (@BiIndia) January 18, 2019
Arctic 100 years ago vs Today.
This is the truth about the #10YearChallenge. RT if you agree. #climatechange
(Images courtesy of Christian Åslund and The Norwegian Polar Institute) pic.twitter.com/TrnpbgPUOt
— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) January 17, 2019
Check out this video to see how things are changing: