Last week, we shared a list of top-rated
books
that we think would make excellent companions to anyone interested in the
cutting edge of sustainability and regeneration; and with this post, we’re
turning our attention to top-notch documentary films that can have a similar
effect. Films also have the added benefit of being a fantastic way to spend time
with family, and teach children and adults alike valuable lessons about the
natural world.
Without further ado, here is our list of 12 highly recommended recent
sustainability and regeneration documentaries. Have fun!
Presented by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan,
Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic and Chris Paul — this revolutionary
film follows a cast of high-performance athletes who dispel age-old myths about
meat, protein and
strength.
(2020)
Ever wonder how an idea inspired by nature gets brought to market? Biomimicry
looks to the natural world for creative, sustainable solutions to solve our
greatest design challenges. But it’s not enough to have a strategy for tackling
a problem without the means to make it a reality. What happens when you have a
genius biomimicry idea that can help make the world a better place?
In a new short film produced by Tree Media, we get a firsthand perspective
of how the Biomimicry Institute is pioneering an open-access platform for
nature-inspired design. Co-founder Janine
Benyus
walks us through the emerging discipline, and we meet up-and-coming companies
who are working to bring their innovation to market.
Experience our planet's natural splendor and examine how climate change impacts
all living creatures in this ambitious British documentary series of spectacular
scope.
Coral reefs around the world are dying and
vanishing
at an alarming rate. In this film from director Jeff Orlowski — maker of the
equally stunning 2012 documentary, Chasing
Ice (also highly recommended) — a
team of divers, photographers and scientists sets out on an ocean adventure to
discover why the reefs are disappearing and to reveal the underwater mystery to
the world.
This is a 30-minute documentary about the Hinewai Nature Reserve, on New
Zealand’s Banks Peninsula; and its kaitiaki/manager of 30 years,
botanist Hugh Wilson. When, in 1987, Wilson let the local community know of
his plans to allow the introduced ‘weed,’ gorse, to grow as a nurse canopy to
regenerate farmland into native forest, people were not only skeptical but
outright angry — the plan was the sort to be expected only of “fools and
dreamers.”
Now considered a hero locally and across the country, Wilson oversees 1,500
hectares resplendent in native forest, where birds and other wildlife are
abundant and 47 known waterfalls are in permanent flow. He has proven without
doubt that nature knows best — and that he is no fool.
(2018)
A Third Industrial Revolution is unfolding with the convergence of three pivotal
technologies: an ultra-fast 5G communication internet, a renewable energy
internet and a driverless mobility internet, all connected to the Internet of
Things embedded across society and the environment. This 21st-century, smart
digital infrastructure is giving rise to a radical new sharing economy that is
transforming the way we manage, power and move economic life. But with climate
change now ravaging the planet, it needs to happen fast.
The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight-year quest of John and
Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and
a dream to harvest in harmony with nature.
Through dogged perseverance and embracing the opportunity provided by nature's
conflicts, the Chesters uncover and unlock a biodiverse design for living that
exists far beyond their farm, its seasons and our wildest imagination.
Featuring breathtaking cinematography, captivating animals and an urgent message
to heed Mother Nature’s call, this film provides us all a vital blueprint for
better living and a healthier planet.
In this episode narrated by actor Joe Morton, PBS’ NOVA investigates
what happened in Flint, Michigan, when local officials changed the city’s
water source to save money, but overlooked a critical treatment process. As the
water pipes corroded, lead leached into the system, exposing the community —
including thousands of children — to dangerous levels of poison. NOVA uncovers
the science behind this manmade disaster — from the intricacies of water
chemistry to the biology of lead poisoning to the misuse of science itself. The
film follows ordinary citizens and independent scientists who exposed the danger
lurking in Flint’s water and confronted those who turned a blind
eye.
Discover the disturbing truth that reaches far beyond Flint — water systems
across the country are similarly vulnerable.
When he discovers the world's oceans brimming with plastic waste, filmmaker
Craig Leeson investigates the pollution's environmental impacts.
How might your life be better with less? Minimalism examines the many flavors of minimalism by taking the audience
inside the lives of minimalists from all walks of life — families,
entrepreneurs, architects, artists, journalists, scientists and even a former
Wall Street broker — all of whom are striving to live a meaningful life with
less.
This National Geographic series, hosted by “Man vs Wild” adventurer Bear
Grylls, shines a light on some of the world's harshest and most unforgivable
landscapes, and the animals that have adapted to survive in these conditions.
In this docuseries presciently released shortly before the global arrival of COVID-19, meet
the heroes on the front lines of the battle against previous viral pandemics and
learn about efforts to stop the next global outbreak.
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Advisor and Co-Lead, Global Content Strategy & Thought Leadership, Sustainable Brands
Dimitar is a senior sustainability and regeneration strategist, educator, executive advisor and mentor. He currently holds the following active roles: Advisor and Co-Lead, Global Content Strategy & Thought Leadership at Sustainable Brands; Senior Strategist, Content Development & Product Innovation at Sustainability Hub Norway; Executive Advisor at rePurpose Global; and Senior Content Advisor at Integrate2033. He co-led the creation of the SB Brand Transformation Roadmap, a comprehensive navigation tool mapping the whole journey from business-as-usual to a sustainable brand, and co-designed an accompanying assessment process that measures progress in five dimensions: purpose, brand influence, operations and supply chain, products and services, and governance.
Published Apr 1, 2020 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST