Watching movies is a great way to help raise awareness about climate change and educate people about the pressing topic. Here are some of the best climate change films to watch this March as we celebrate Earth Hour.
Before the Flood (2016)
In Before the Flood, Leonardo DiCaprio, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and his team travel across the globe to witness firsthand the devastating effects of climate change and what can be done to stop them. The documentary presents the account of the dramatic changes occurring around the world due to climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet.
Don’t Look Up (2021)
The movie tells the story of two astronomers attempting to warn people about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization. The impact event is an allegory for climate change, and the film is a satire of government, politics, celebrity, and media indifference to the climate crisis.
Burning (2021)
Academy-Award-winning Australian filmmaker Eva Orner takes a look at the unprecedented, catastrophic, and deadly bushfires in Australia last 2019 to 2020 also known as ‘Black Summer’. The film narrates the story from the perspective of those directly involved and affected by the fires as well as activists and scientists, it also tackles the irreversible damage that these catastrophic events leave behind, shining a light on the global issue of climate change.
Just like other forms of media, anime has now played a significant role in impacting society and its surroundings. It also has been instrument in promoting environmental awareness. Here are some anime series with environmental themes that can inspire you to protect our Earth.
Dr. Stone
The plot of Dr. Stone introduces a world where all human have turned into stone and the planet has reclaimed itself. With the fall of civilization, the main character Ishigami Senku, a young genius, is determined to restore the Earth the only way he knows how – through Science. While the themes in the anime are not explicitly environmental, it was able to highlight the importance of natural resources to the stability of social environment. The show excellently conveyed what humanity can achieve when there’s synergy in the environment.
Weathering With You
Makoto Shinkai’s 2019 film, Weathering With You, is not just a story of youthful romance between the characters Hina and Hodaka. It depicted an imminent climate catastrophe by portraying an uninhabitable Tokyo where large swaths of the city are underwater and residents are forced to abandon their home. Not too far off from our current vision of the future, the film serves as a wakeup call to the realities of climate crisis.
Princess Mononoke
Arguably one of Studio Ghibli’s greatest films, Princess Mononoke does not hide its environmental themes. The story follows the story of young prince Ashitaka as he travels through the forest in search of a cure after being cursed by fighting a boar. In his journey he meets San and discovers a conflict between the advancement of technology and the preservation of nature. the film paints an ugly picture of what humans are able to do to the Earth if lech unchecked and shows the suffering of forests and animals.
CDN Digital supports Earth Hour 2023 together with Cebu Energy Development Corp and Toledo Power Co.