10 + 1 Environmental Documentaries to #ActNow
If you've come this far you're probably already familiar with words like "climate change", "climate emergency", "global warming", "climate crisis", "greenhouse gases", etc. But it is also very likely that you are not entirely familiar with their meaning or with what they really mean for the planet, for all of us who live on it and for our daily lives.
Through 10 + 1 documentaries that inspire us, in this post we will tell you more about the global problems we face. From the excessive consumption of single-use plastics to the back room of what fast fashion really is, the increase of temperature in the sea and its consequences, the melting of the poles, etc. These are all real facts, things that are happening right now because of our consumption habits and that we can really stop or slow down.
1. OUR PLANET (Netflix)
We are going to start with a documentary series in which the immensity and beauty of the planet on which we live can be appreciated. If you don't freak out and fall in love with this… we don’t know what to say!
"Our Planet" premiered in April 2019 on Netflix. It is a series of 8 documentaries that shows the beauty of the Earth making you little by little aware of the problem of climate change.
*As an extra to this first documentary. We recommend "Our Planet. Behind the scenes". It is about how "Our Planet" was shot. The months and years they needed, the problems they had, how they got those images, etc. Espectacular.
2. DANCING WITH THE BIRDS / NIGHT ON EARTH (Netflix)
Following the line of the first documentary, these two continue to show us the wonders of nature from different points of view.
The first documentary, of one hour of duration and that you will be able to find in Netflix, will teach you the behaviors of birds that you had not even imagined that they exist. On the other hand, the second documentary, a mini-series of 6 documentaries, will show you what happens to the fauna and flora while the planet sleeps. Both to continue building a mental image of how the planet is and all living things that inhabit it.
There are many other documentaries of this style: "Giants of the Deep", "The Flood", "Wild Yellowstone" and "Great Migrations" are some of them.
(All these last ones in Disney+)
3. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (YouTube)
And from admiration, we move on to trouble.
This is one of the first documentaries made about climate change and a very good option to start getting to know this world in depth. In it, Al Gore explains what climate change is by trying to alert viewers to what was once a climate emergency due to rapid global warming. This documentary can be found on YouTube.
4. BEFORE THE FLOOD (Disney+)
Here's the crown jewel. This we think would be the ultimate documentary that everyone should see.
In this 1 hour and 36-minute documentary you will see the devastating consequences the world is facing due to global warming. Presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, who makes a 2 year trip around the world to document in first person the damage we are doing to different ecosystems.
An overview that will make you start to see some of the general problems that exist today. Do they have a solution? We will see it later with other documentaries that we recommend. You can see it at Disney+.
5. A PLASTIC OCEAN (Netflix)
And here we get into the plastics. Our beloved plastics. Well, yes, it turns out that the problem is real and with this documentary, you will be able to see and understand the extent of the consumption of single-use plastics.
With images that impact recorded during 4 years, this documentary shows, specifically, the effects of plastic pollution in our oceans. And it explains why the abusive and irresponsible use of plastic can generate big problems for the planet and, as a consequence, for us.
The following documentaries each deal with a very important issue that the planet and all of us face and that can have devastating consequences for everyone. You may never have heard of these issues, or perhaps you have. Whatever the case, we recommend you all watch the following documentaries to soak up the "whys" of these problems and how we can help solve them.
6. CHASING CORAL (Netflix)
This wonderful 1 hour and 20 minutes documentary that you can find in Netflix, talks about and shows one of the biggest ecological catastrophes that is taking place right now and that many of us are not aware of: the massive death of the coral due to the increase of the temperature of the sea.
It is a very good way to learn about how coral is formed, how it feeds and how it reproduces itself with images so sharp and so colorful that it is difficult to take your eyes off the screen. As well as a good way to know why many corals are turning white and the environmental consequence of this phenomenon.
7. CHASING ICE (Netflix)
Continuing in the water, from the coral we pass to one of the most known and famous problems: the melting of the poles.
This documentary appeared before Chasing Coral, but the order in which you watch it is independent. Also on Netflix, 48 cameras were used to record Chasing Ice, spread over the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Alaska and Glacier National Park, which documented for several years the real consequences of real warming on the ice. You can see with your own eyes how the increase in temperature on Earth is causing the ice around the world to melt at a higher than natural rate.
8. THE TRUE COST
Has anyone ever thought that buying cheap clothes from big brands could have a direct impact on the environment? Even worse, what could have an impact on other people's lives?
This one and a half-hour documentary tries to answer the question of what the real cost of the clothes we wear is. Because many times we only look at the price of a T-shirt before we buy it and we don't consider the implications of our choice as buyers.
9. COWSPIRACY (Netflix)
And finally, we get to the food. Can intensive farming influence global warming? More than we might think.
In this documentary 1 hour and a half long you will see the great impact that the massive consumption of meat and animal food (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) has nowadays. With a series of interviews with major environmental organizations and experts, in "Cowspiracy" you will realize that a carnivorous diet is not sustainable for the planet, and change our eating habits is one of the fastest ways to help slow climate change.
A documentary that makes you think.
Leaving behind all the problems and consequences of global warming and climate change, it is time to shed some light on the matter, don't you think? The following documentaries want us to have a little hope about the future.
Together we can put the brakes on, stop all this devastation and turn back the clock to live on a healthier and more sustainable planet.
10. 2040 (Youtube)
The documentary "2040" shows us the positive vision of the Australian Damon Gameau about our future.
It shows us how we could invest all the existing technology and our knowledge to reduce CO2 and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A planet with 100% renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, as well as isolating carbon, are some of the proposals that Damon shows us in this beautiful documentary.
We can dream of a better future, but with real facts and data. A sustainable and real future.
11. NO IMPACT MAN (Vimeo)
Last but not least, "No Impact Man" also teaches us the possibility of a more sustainable world through our daily actions. This one and a half-hour documentary shows the life of writer Colin Beaven in a one year experiment where Colin tries to lead a sustainable life with zero impact on the environment.
We have in our hands the possibility of fixing it, and how to do it, is not within our reach.
There is no need to go from 0 to 100, from a massive destroyer to a radical environmentalist. We can all do small acts that together will make us manage to stop this climate crisis.
It's just a matter of starting now. Act NOW!