Though Google's home page remains spartan, the company often makes edits to their logo around holidays, notable birthdays, or to commemorate anniversaries of significant events.Today being Earth Day, Google debuted a logo that shows the Google name partially submerged below water, as an iceberg. The top half of the Google is melting, and much of the mass remains below the presumed ocean.
Today's Google Logo (Earth Day Theme)
Clicking on the Google logo from the home page takes you to a predefined search for the term "Earth Day". So why choose the logo they did? In my best guess mode, I have to assume this is Google's quiet, subtle reminder and buy-in on the theory of global warming, made a topic du jour by the Oscar-winning Inconvenient Truth, fronted by Al Gore.
Google doesn't typically make a stand on political issues. The company has been vocal on the topic of net neutrality and privacy, but steers clear of more partisan conversation. But at the same time, the company houses some of the brightest minds in technology, and with buildings full of Ph.D.'s, it's no surprise they would find the very real issue of global warming as one they would highlight on Earth Day. Good for Google. I hope others besides myself take note.
Update: Welcome visitors from Scoble's Link Blog and TechMeme. Looks like others did take note after all...
This was a very subtle 'slam' from Google. One of the best logo's yet.
ReplyDeletegoogle has always been very environmentally conscious, this is hardly unexpected. the googleplex uses a lot of alternative energy, and their servers are all low-power solutions.
ReplyDeleteit saddens me that environmental issues could be considered partisan. all people should care about preserving the earth for future generations.
I was far too busy riding my bike across town and attending events to have googled anything.
ReplyDeletemarketingcanapes.vox.com
Yep, this is the very first thing I noticed when getting on my computer today. It wasn't your typical Google celebrate-today logo, gutsy and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Techmeme (you're becoming a regular) and the diggs Louis!
They already did it last year, you can see the logo here: http://oclcyc.wordpress.com/2006/04/22/google-y-el-dia-de-la-tierra/
ReplyDeleteWe need to be clear here:
ReplyDeleteThe only reason global warming (or evolution for that matter) is considered a "political issue" is because the right wing prioritizes politics over science.
Bravo to google for not being cowed by the politicization of our largest environmental crisis.
The original Earth day was suppose to be on March 21th back in 1970. It was being shifted to the April date later on.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.earthsite.org/april22.htm
The top half of the Google is melting, and much of the mass remains below the presumed ocean.
ReplyDeleteHey, just in case you don't know, an iceberg always has two thirds of its mass below water level.