April 22 is Earth Day, and despite the UK being under lockdown, making many of us unable to get outside, there are ways to celebrate from inside your home. Now is a better time than ever to watch all of those wildlife and nature documentaries you've had added to your Netflix list for months. I've picked out seven documentaries to watch for Earth Day on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and YouTube.
It's worth noting that Earth Day will be a slightly different affair this year, due to the global pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis is a global disaster which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. The resulting lockdowns in force in countries around the world have caused a dip in air pollution across China, Europe, and the U.S., and the carbon emission levels from burning fossil fuels has dropped by 5% this year. While a pandemic can hardly have any positive outcomes, it may encourage people to think more about the need to protect our planet, its people, and its wildlife. With these small glimmers of hope for our world, comes the realisation that we still have a big challenge ahead of us. These documentaries will help
'Continent 7: Antarctica'
When thinking about our planet, we so often consider the places in which most of us inhabit, and tend to forget the extremes. If you're as fascinated as I am by Antartica, this is the National Geographic documentary to go for. It explores life on the most extreme continent on the planet, along with the hardcore researchers and engineers who brave the -100 degree F cold for vital new information.
Available on: Disney+
'Our Planet'
You simply can't let Earth Day pass you by without watching a David Attenborough film or series. The best place to source them these days is Netflix; the platform has most of his recent works including Blue Planet and Planet Earth. But perhaps the most relevant for this year's Earth Day is Our Planet, a docu-series which explores the impact of climate change on different regions and species in the world. The content may be slightly alarming, but Attenborough's soothing voice will keep you calm throughout.
'March Of The Penguins 2'
March Of The Penguins has to be the greatest documentary about penguins in the history of time. Not to be confused with Happy Feet (the animated movie — DW, it took me a second too), the film follows how penguins survive in the harsh conditions they are faced with, and how they form families. The 2005 film was followed up by March Of The Penguins 2; a more up-to-date follow up which was produced in 2017. And yes, Morgan Freeman still narrates. Phew.
'Planet Of The Humans'
Michael Moore is sometimes seen as a divisive figure, but IMO, his documentaries are downright brilliant. Hence why I cannot wait to feast my eyes on his (quite literally) brand new documentary about whether green energy sources can save the planet in the state it's currently in. It's executive produced by Moore himself, and directed by his long term work partner Jeff Gibbs. Oh, and it's available for free on YouTube. Score.
'Wild Yellowstone'
I'm telling you now, if you've not been to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S., add it to your bucket list of places you wish to visit once we can all freely travel again. It is one of the most spectacular places I've ever been. And if you need more convincing, National Geographic's Wild Yellowstone film will have you raring to reach for your hiking boots. With up close footage of the scenery and wildlife in both summer and winter, this is a fascinating find.
Available on: Disney+
'Before The Flood'
I remember beginning to watch Leonardo DiCaprio's climate change documentary on a plane (ironic) with a distinct air of skepticism. What could this Hollywood A-lister actually tell us about the planet?! Well, it turns out actually quite a lot. This film is like a dose of reality, and is a good summing up of the dangers of the environmental situation we have created.
Elephant
I admit that the initial draw of this title was the fact that Meghan Markle narrates it, but this truly is a brilliant film the follows the life of one herd of elephants making an epic journey from the Kalahari desert to the Zambezi River. It charts the different challenges the elephants will come against, and different elephant behaviours which help survival.
