Happy Earth Day, 2020! This year marks the 50th year of Earth Day, and the theme this year is “Climate Action”. For information about Earth Day – its history, endeavors, etc. – go to: earthday.org/earth-day-2020. Since many of us are still staying in place at home during this unusual time, we have put together a small list of some films you can stream on kanopy and hoopla, as well as some nonfiction titles you can check out using your Overdrive/Libby accounts with your WPPL library card.
On kanopy:
For the whole family:
Arctic Tale (2007)
Narrated by Queen Latifah, Arctic Tale offers a look at life in the Arctic for a mother walrus and her calf, and a mother polar bear and her cubs. Directed by Sarah Robertson and award-winning cinematographer Adam Ravetch (Polar Bears: A Summer Odyssey; Polar Bears: Ice Bear). Rated G.
A few terrific documentaries:
Rise of the Eco Warriors (2014)
Rise of the Eco Warriors tells the story of a group of young people who volunteer to leave their homes and spend 100 days in the jungles of Borneo, Indonesia to assist on a project involving the rainforests and endangered orangutans. They are tasked with caring for Jojo, an orphaned baby orangutan, and returning her to her natural habitat in the rainforest. As you watch this monumental project unfold, against enormous obstacles, you will see the power that individual actions can have to effect change. In Indonesian and English. Not Rated. A supplemental study guide (pdf) is included.
Normal is Over 1.1 (2019)
This award-winning documentary provides a powerful and sobering look at some of the most vital concerns we face today: climate change, species extinction, income inequality, and depletion of resources. While delineating these planetary and societal crises, the film offers solutions, with a view toward hopefully reversing the harmful effects brought about by these issues.
Antarctica Ice and Sky (2016)
kanopy or hoopla
Antarctica Ice and Sky is the amazing story of Claude Lorius, who has spent his adult life investigating how climate conditions have affected earth’s surfaces. A pioneer, explorer and scientist, glaciologist Lorius performed groundbreaking research in Antarctica which provided evidence of man-made climate change and its impacts. Not Rated.
How to Change the World (2015)
When thinking about environmental movements, one of the earliest that comes to mind is, of course, Greenpeace. This film chronicles the evolution of the non-governmental environmental organization, which started in 1971 when a group of friends sailed into a nuclear test zone to launch a protest. In this documentary you will see archival footage and see and hear from the pioneers who started Greenpeace. Not Rated.
Note: When looking at a title description in kanopy, don’t forget to look at the sidebar appearing on the right side of your screen, which offers related videos, for many other choices on the subject matter of the film you are viewing!
On hoopla:
Kayak to Klemtu (2017)
Fourteen year old Ella decides to take a kayak trip along the shores of the Great Bear rainforest in British Columbia, to honor her late uncle’s wishes to protest oil tanker traffic through the waterways in the area. The trip turns into quite the adventure, as her eclectic family members join the trip! Winner Best Canadian First Feature at Victoria Film Festival in 2018, and Winner Best Director, Best Actor at American Indian Film Festival in 2018. The film has a Canadian PG certification.
The Human Element (2018)
The Human Element looks at climate change through the lens of environmental photographer James Balog who has spent his career looking at the relationship between humans and their environments. Here he visits a fishing community on Tangier Island, in Chesapeake Bay, a school in Colorado, serving the needs of children with breathing problems, and many more places where environmental issues have created significant health and economic challenges for inhabitants. Not Rated.
And don’t forget about books on hoopla!! There are many titles suitable for kids of all ages. A couple of choices:
Climate Change (2020)
Part of the Build it Yourself series: learn the science behind a warming planet and make a difference for their own future!
Climate Change ECO Facts (2019)
Part of the Eco Facts series: read about what climate change is doing-and will continue to do-to our planet, and how we might reduce its impact.
There are many digital books and digital audiobooks on topics related to Earth Day that you can find on Overdrive/Libby (scroll down to see a curated list entitled Earth Day):
