3 Documentaries to Reinvigorate You in the Fight Against Climate Change
You’re having coffee with a friend, and they voice the thing that kills you to hear.
“I’m not convinced human activity is responsible for climate change.”
There you are, left scratching your head. And wondering, “what has gone wrong here?”
“Why is this otherwise reasonable, intelligent, and compassionate person not swayed by scientific consensus?”
And then you hear similar comments in the media. And you get frustrated. And down. And it feels like this whole thing is a lost cause.
If you’ve experienced this. You are not alone.
It’s in these moments we need inspiration. Inspiration to keep learning. Keep sharing. And keep actively participating in the fight against climate change.
Here are 3 documentaries worth watching (or re-watching) to reinvigorate your passion for the cause.
1. Before the Flood
In Before the Flood, Leo DiCaprio takes us on a journey around the world. Beginning at the North Pole where he sees the polar ice caps melting in real time. He makes his way to Florida where the mayor of Miami explains the “sunny day flooding” that the city is experiencing from sea level rise. And then over to China and India to learn how the newly developed and developing world is being affected and dealing with climate change. On he goes to Indonesia where he learns about the palm oil problem. And to small island nations in the South Pacific set to disappear. Before making his way to learn about the resource-draining beef industry. And hear from uncle Elon about how 100 gigafactories could help transition the entire world to sustainable energy. Naturally, he wraps up with fantastic interviews with Al Gore and President Obama. The consistent underlying theme is this: Urgency. Click here to watch it on Netflix.
2. Chasing Coral
In Chasing Coral, the opening scene takes us beneath the surface to see turtles and vibrantly colored fish in a coral reef ecosystem. The imagery conveys just how strange and alien a place the ocean is, existing right here on our own planet. Spectacular footage is being captured by Richard Vevers who has been documenting the world’s coral reefs, the same way Google maps out streets. Coral reefs support half a billion people as a source of food and income. And they’re dying at an incredible rate. Chasing Coral sends an inspiring message that there is still time to reverse these effects. But we need to act now. Click here to watch it on Netflix.
3. Food Choices
In Food Choices, Michal Siewierski seeks to answer questions like how can we know what’s best for us to eat? Which foods improve health? And which ones can potentially promote disease? Over the course of three years, Siewierski embarks on a journey to find answers and shed light on the myths about food. In the film, he takes us with him as he travels the world and interviews 27 experts from different areas of the food system. And tries to uncover what is the healthiest and most sustainable diet for ourselves, future generations, and our planet. Click here to watch it on Netflix.
Act on Climate
Living in Los Angeles? The nation’s largest net zero building conference is just around the corner on Sept. 12–14. Register here.
Let’s Talk Cleantech
What are your favorite climate change or related documentaries? Let us know what we need to be adding to our list! Join the conversation.
