Taking a step back to reveal the entire picture is essential, especially if most of our time is spent tunneling through the same, daily routines. We become detached and unaware of the full setting around us, because we’re so focused at the task at hand. In the digital world we live in, encapsulated by our phones, we forget we’re just one cog in the machine. We get so used to seeing the same things every day that subtle changes around us go unnoticed. Yet, over the years these subtle changes add up to profound transformations. Nothing is more evident of this than our environment.

Showcasing this, Google has spent the last 22 years recording locations across the globe, tracking the sum of all the minute, overlooked changes, and the result is incredible. Entire landscapes have been shifted, developed or washed away forever. In addition to other reasons, like the survival of our race, it’s important to keep this in our minds, as some of our top vacation destinations are risk of disappearing. Instead of having a countdown to when time could run out, we have a duty and should be proactive, helping to preserve these natural landscapes for generations to come. Need further proof of our man-made impact? Below are the stark differences that 20 years made in 193 cities worldwide.

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