Happy Earth Day, fellow Terrans. We wanted to celebrate our love for this planet by sharing some of the best movies and TV shows that showcase environmental issues. Earth is our home and we should take care of it. This list can inspire you to take action and make change. Here are eight things to watch to celebrate Earth Day.
Wall-E
The future depicted in Wall-E is pretty depressing, with the Earth no longer habitable and looking like one giant trash heap. When the curious little robot, Wall-E, finds a sprout and shares it with his friend Eve, he goes on an unexpected journey. He finds humanity is lost and stuck without their home planet.
Through Wall-E’s courage, he helps robots and humans find a better future and build a new, livable environment. Wall-E is super cute, the story is emotional, and the little plant is a representation of how there’s always hope.
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The Lorax (2012)
While you could read Dr. Seuss’ original story or watch the 1972 TV special, we recommend the 2012 movie, The Lorax. This version still tells the story of corporate greed destroying all the trees, but it does so with less grim pessimism and more bright animation and catchy tunes.
Unlike the older versions, Universal Pictures managed to get across the message of environmental responsibility without using fear or dread as motivators. Which, when making a children’s movie, it’s probably best to leave out the terror that everything is doomed.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest
If you do want to watch a cartoon that deals in darker tones when discussing the environment, then FernGully: The Last Rainforest is a good option. Humans are demolishing the rainforest and it affects the magical creatures who reside there. The humans also release Hexxus, the spirit of destruction, from his imprisonment in a tree.
Sacrifices have to be made in order to save FernGully, and the ending is bittersweet, leaving the audience feeling that even though things worked out this time, it will not stay that way forever.
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Princess Mononoke
Now, if you want a more complex plot along with the darker tone surrounding environmentalism, Princess Mononoke is a beautiful choice. With Studio Ghibli‘s gorgeous animation and storytelling, you will get caught up in Ashitaka’s fight to save the forests and free himself of his curse. Environmental issues combine with spiritual and magical elements to not only advocate for preservation efforts but to call on people to connect with nature.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (S03E03)
Another offering of spiritualism and nature mixed with environmentalism is Avatar: The Last Airbender. There are a few examples of this throughout the animated series, but one of the most overt happens in “The Painted Lady” (S03E03). When a fishing village is being poisoned by a factory dumping toxic waste into their river, Aang and his friends don’t want to just sit by. Katara uses a local legend to her advantage to help shut down the factory and save the village.
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Doctor Who (S12E06)
Doctor Who is another TV show that has a multitude of environmentalist examples. After all, the Doctor is the protector and defender of Earth. Sometimes Earth needs protection from its own inhabitants. An example of this is in “Praxeus” (S12E06).
What starts out as another alien threat to humanity evolves into a horror story about what will happen to Earth if nothing is done about all the plastic waste in the oceans and landfills. This episode is especially relevant since 2024’s Earth Day theme is “Planet vs. Plastics.”
Star Trek: Voyager (S05E01)
There are so many examples of environmentalism throughout the entire Star Trek franchise because that is one of the key themes. Looking to a future that is peaceful and beautiful because the Earth has been cared for is woven throughout the very idea of Star Trek.
That said, the crew of Voyager find that the Delta Quadrant still has some very large issues around toxic waste disposal. In “Night” (S0501), even after offering a perfect solution to clean up the theta radiation making people ill and deformed, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) cannot convince the Malon to give up their business.
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Disneynature Films
Each year, Disneynature releases an Earth Day documentary. With celebrity narrators and adorable baby animals, they share what life is like for the non-human inhabitants of Earth. This year’s documentary is Tiger, and it is narrated by Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
There are a number of films from previous years such as Polar Bear, Elephant, and Dolphin Reef. If a documentary is more your style, these are definitely worth checking out on Disney+.
Do you have any other environmental movies or TV shows that help you celebrate this planet? What small steps can you make to create a brighter and more beautiful Earth? Let us know in the comments, and have a happy Earth Day.
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