shrinking florida everglades is proof positive climate change is real and is threatening america 's ` national treasures , ' president said today .
obama also took a half - hour walking tour of the the anhinga trail at the 1.5-million-acre national park before giving his speech and heading home .
` i ca n't think of a better way to spend earth day than in one of our nation 's greatest natural treasures , the everglades , ' he said , calling the swamp , which he acknowledged is not technically a swamp , ` magical '
day trip , on which obama was accompanied by bill nye ` the science guy ' also highlighted massive amount of fuel it takes to power air force one - 9,000 gallons for today 's flights alone .