6 Environmental Documentaries
No issue is more vital to our future than the environment and how we choose to preserve it. Many documentaries are available on the subject, approaching the issue from a multitude of ways. The following films are from different eras, but all take a serious and scientific approach to the issue of environmental protection.
The 11th Hour
This film was produced by movie star Leonardo DiCaprio, and also features him as a main actor. The 11th Hour takes a broad view of the topic at hand, showing how our impact on the planet has led to global warming, deforestation, species extinction and the depletion of oceanic habitats.
The film features a wide range of people who were interviewed to give their two cents’ on the topic. Sources include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and physicist Stephen Hawking.
👉 Watch The 11th Hour on Amazon Prime
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Meat the Truth
Meat the Truth is a 2008 documentary about the meat industry and its impact on the environment. The film is rather critical of the industry, comparing its environmental impact to the automotive industry, as well as other businesses that are responsible for greenhouse emission.
👉 Watch Meat the Truth on Amazon Prime
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Tapped
Tapped carries themes similar to the previous documentary, but focuses instead on the impact of plastic bottle production. This industry has a devastating impact on the environment, particularly on wildlife living in the world’s oceans. The film uses real footage of bottles and plastic waste found in open waters, showing how quickly the situation has devolved in recent years.
👉 Watch Tapped on Amazon Prime
If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
There are many ways to tell a story about the fight to protect our environment. If A Tree Falls does so from the point of view of those whose conservation efforts break the law. The film’s main character is Daniel McGowan: a former Earth Liberation Front member who faced life in prison after firebombing timber companies. McGowan was ultimately found guilty of environmental terrorism. The film attempts to stay unbiased, taking into account both the law and the importance of environmental preservation.
👉 If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front on Amazon Prime
👉 If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front as DVD on Amazon
Chasing Ice
Few places show more telling signs of our impact on the planet than the glaciers that grow smaller by the year. This film explores that problem with the help of National Geographic photographer James Balog. What makes this film unique is the artistry with which it is shot: it is a piece that is both informative and highly aesthetic.
👉 Watch Chasing Ice on Amazon Prime
👉 Buy Chasing Ice as DVD on Amazon
More Than Honey
It is often overlooked how closely ecosystems are intertwined, and the ways in which one affects another. This is perhaps most evident when it comes to our bee populations, and their crucial role in the survival of every environment they inhabit. Essentially, plant life without bees simply would not be possible. More Than Honey reveals the damaging effects of pesticides on bees, and the threats they pose for everyone: not only those who make a living through the production of honey.
👉 Watch More Than Honey on Amazon Prime
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Which of these films have you seen, and which would you add to our list?
