20 TV Shows And Documentaries That Will Blow Your Mind This Earth Day

These documentaries give you a deeper look at all things mystifying about our planet.

With everything happening in the world on a day-by-day basis, Earth Day may not be the top thing on your radar. That said, there's no understating the importance of raising awareness of what's happening to our planet.

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Since 1970, the holiday has brought national attention to the need for environmental conservation. We've lived through enough 'unprecedented events' to know that we're not in great shape, and every step we take toward making the world a better place (in the physical sense here, but really, in every sense) is a crucial one.

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Here are some of the documentaries and films that teach us important lessons about the world around us.

1. Kiss the Ground

Netflix

A lot of times, people question what kind of actions we can take to make a difference against the systemic damage that happens to our planet every day. Kiss the Ground offers a solution as it explains the benefits we could reap from regenerative agriculture. It's also narrated by Woody Harrelson and features other celebrity activists, as well as experts.

2. Our Planet

Netflix

This mini docuseries, a collaboration between Netflix and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), explores all the different ways different habitats are challenged by human impact, as narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The series also connects these issues to the ecosystems threatened by them, while powerfully calling for action in conservation.

3. Ice on Fire

HBO Max

Directed by Leila Conners and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, this documentary looks at the cause and effect of climate change, with experts offering different aspects of the impact of the changes happening to the planet each day. Not only does it inform, but it also motivates viewers to make changes in their own day-to-day to help.

4. The Year Earth Changed

Apple TV

Remember all those "nature is healing" memes during COVID? This documentary takes a look at what happened to the natural world as our day-to-day lives screeched to a halt at the beginning of the pandemic.

5. The Biggest Little Farm

NEON

The Biggest Little Farm follows a couple who ditches city living to start a sustainable farm on 200 acres in Southern California. John and Molly Chester transform the land and their way of life over the course of eight years, facing challenges on the road to establishing their thriving oasis.

6. Jane

National Geographic Films

A documentary on world-renowned primatologist and animal behaviorist, Jane Goodall, the Brett Morgen-directed film inspires as it examines Goodall's important place in the study of primates. 

7. Fantastic Fungi

Netflix

Do you know how fascinating mushrooms are? If you don't, you need to check out Fantastic Fungi and learn all about the mushroom kingdom and explore the mycelial network, discovering all the ways mushrooms can help life on earth.

8. Chasing Coral

Netflix

In a three-year period from 2014-2017, Chasing Coral captured the severity of coral bleaching, where corals suffer damage and die as a result of heat stress brought on by climate change. 

9. A Plastic Ocean

Netflix

This documentary gives a jarring look at the extent of plastic pollution in our oceans and the effects it has while also examining all the important work happening on levels big and small to fix the issue.

10. The True Cost

Amazon Prime

If you've ever felt a little morally wishy-washy about buying fast fashion, this documentary will probably be that last push you need to steer clear. Powerful interviews with industry insiders and striking scenes from production processes make the toll of the practice clear.

11. Mission Blue

Netflix

Legendary oceanographer and marine biologist Sylvia Earle delves into why a global network of protected marine sanctuaries could be a game-changer for protecting our oceans and the delicate ecosystems within them.

12. The Lorax

Universal Pictures

The Lorax teaches viewers of all ages about how important it is to care for the world around you and become curious and even protective of it. 

13. Happy Feet

Warner Bros. Pictures

Happy Feet is a cute and fun-filled kid's movie that addresses some pretty big issues about the threats these cuddly-looking creatures face, like pollution and dangerous fishing practices.

14. Wall-E

Disney

Wall-E shows us what the world could be like if we got overrun by our trash and highlights the growing problem with excess and waste. A plant plays a special role in the film and delivers an impactful message about taking care of our planet.

15. No Impact Man

Eden Wurmfeld Films

These days, a lot of people are trying to pursue waste-free lifestyles. In 2009, No Impact Man seemed pretty extreme, as a man and his family tried to pursue zero-waste living in New York City for a full year. It would be hard enough to tackle this challenge alone, but it takes on a whole other level when you realize it's an entire family working together to be waste free.

16. Planet Earth

BBC

This award-winning docuseries explores all the different habitats that exist on our planet and opens up our eyes to the intricacies we miss without a closer look. We also see how interconnected everything is and why every environmental change for the better is crucial to keeping it all in balance.

17. Wings of Life

Disney

This Disney nature documentary, narrated by Meryl Streep, takes a look at all the flying creatures that are important to our world. Some of the most beautiful creatures — like butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and bats — are also the most vulnerable as ecosystems are impacted by climate change.

18. Hostile Planet

National Geographic

Not every area of the world is the kindest to its habitants, and those are the areas this docuseries focuses on. It also highlights the special creatures that can adapt to what many others cannot.

19. Watermark

Sixth Wave Productions

Water is one of the most important elements to human life, but it's also a resource we find ways to endanger. This documentary takes a deep dive into the symbiotic relationship humans have with water and how it's handled differently in different corners of the world.

20. Public Trust: The Fight for America’s Public Lands

Patagonia Films / Via youtube.com

Public Trust explores one of the United States' richest resources — 640 million acres of America's Public Lands, and how the battle to keep them for all is complicated by issues of race and class.

What other earthy documentaries are among your faves? Share in the comments!