Back in Quarantine? Here's a Recap of 2020's Best Resources (that you may have missed)!

If you're like me, you might think 2020 went both too slow... and too fast. With being in school and working, I felt like I finished the year without catching up on the powerful and important environmental movies and books that 2020 brought.

I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of these resources- so that I (and hopefully you) feel more prepared going into 2021.

Movies:

Movies available on Netflix in 2020:

1. Our Planet- looks at the beauty of our planet and how it is being impacted by climate change

2. A Plastic Ocean- shows the nasty truth about a disposable lifestyle

3. Night on Earth- gives a unique look into the lives of nocturnal wildlife

4. Chasing Coral- shows how coral reefs are being destroyed by human practices

5. Earth's Natural Wonders- shows people living in the most extreme conditions on earth

6. Mission Blue- focuses on the health of the oceans and the threats they face

7. Cowspiracy- highlights the way that factory farming is impacting the planet

8. Sustainable- shows the economic and environmental impacts of our current agricultural practices

9. Poisoned Water- looks at the devastating effects of the Flint, Michigan water crisis

10. Islands of the Future- gives a glimpse into a few tiny islands off of mainland Europe that are working to create change for the future through their energy practices

Movies that were released in 2020:

1. Kiss the Ground- focuses on alternative ways to heal the earth, such as through regenerative agriculture

2. Public Trust: The Fight for America's Public Lands- this documentary tells the stories of "Indigenous activists, journalists, whistleblowers and historians" that worked to protect America's public lands

3. A Life On Our Planet- David Attenborough focuses on how he has seen biodiversity degraded over the course of his lifetime

4. My Octopus Teacher- this film highlights the unique relationship between diver & filmmaker Craig Foster and a wild common octopus near South Africa

Books:

1. Our House is On Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis - written by Greta Thunberg and her family, this book details the climate-related fear/pain Greta faced and how this fear turned into activism

2. The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go From Here- this book gives a description of the state of our planet and how we got here

3. Footprints: In Search of Future Fossils- in his unique examination, David Farrier looks at what we are leaving on the planet today- plastic pollution, greenhouse gases, and the remains of skyscrapers

4. The Rule of Five: Making Climate History at the Supreme Court- this book focuses on one of the most important environmental cases to ever come before the Supreme Court- Massachusetts v. EPA and the unlikely triumph that came from it

5. Irreplaceable: The Fight to Save Our Wild Places- this book takes readers to some of the world's most imperiled places and the species that inhabit them

6. Greenovation: Urban Leadership on Climate Change- looks at various cities in Europe and North America to see which greenhouse gas reduction policies really work

7. Remarkable Cities and the Fight Against Climate Change- this book offers examples that can be a tool for cities to reduce emissions by incentivizing progress and removing barriers to change

Podcasts:

Here are the top environmental podcasts of 2020:

1. So Hot Right Now-talks about humanity's most powerful tools to deal with climate change- communication

2. How to Save the Planet- breaks down and explains pressing environmental issues as well as solutions to the climate crisis

3. Sustainable(ish)- a perfect podcast for people wanting to know how their individual actions impact the planet and how they can live more sustainable lives

4. The Wild- celebrates the world we live in by sharing stories of adventures and conservation efforts

5. Wild Voices Project- talks about "the stories of people saving nature" in film, photography, conservation and environmental justice

6. Jane Goodall: The Hopecast- includes conversations with a range of people- from activists, influencers, leaders from business (and more), mixed with Goodall's vision for a better world

7. The Food Fight- looks at issues facing our food system and what is being done to solve them

8. The Nature Podcast- gives listeners weekly highlights from the world of science

Extra Resources From Our Site:

1. Beginner Reads for Your Sustainable Journey (for our all bookworms looking for more reads)

2. Going Back to School-Sustainably!

3. The Beginner's Guide to Climate Advocacy

Here's to more reading, watching and listening in 2021!