Nadine Mustafa Our earth is a beautiful place – full of diverse species and breathtaking scenery, but a changing climate threatens life as we know it.
Parents want a happy and healthy future for their kids, but climate change puts that at risk. Young people already know this — 84% of youth worldwide are worried about climate change and 75% think the future is frightening.
This World Environment Day, we’ve curated a guide to sustainability shows and movies by age that will help families and kids think about climate change, nature loss, and how we can tackle these challenges. From fuzzy creatures, to colorful coral, the list not only covers a stunning look at nature’s most appealing corners; but also helps families and teachers have meaningful conversations and move children beyond despair by inspiring climate action and solutions.
Here are our top picks – a mix of documentaries, docu-series, and fiction films that are a must-watch this World Environment Day, along with a few conversation starters to inspire kids to understand big ideas around sustainability! The conversations you start to have with your family can lead to big impact.
All Ages
SPIRIT RANGERS (SHOW)
Native American siblings and Junior Park Rangers have a secret — they’re “Spirit Rangers” who can transform into their own super-powered spirits to help protect the national park that they call home!
New Season launches on May 8, 2023.
OCTONAUTS: ABOVE AND BEYOND (SHOW & MOVIES)
With new dangers popping up on land, the Octonauts prepare to protect lands and animals near and far from peril by using their intelligence, courage, and teamwork.
IZZY’S KOALA WORLD (SHOW)
Set in Australia, 11-year-old Izzy Bee and her veterinarian mom have made it their mission to rescue and rehabilitate koalas in need. Follow Izzy as she rescues and forms remarkable friendships with koalas.
CONVERSATION STARTER: What did you learn about the environment and how your favorite character(s) help(s) protect it?
7+ Years Old
THE SEA BEAST (MOVIE)
Obsessed with going to sea, young orphan Maisie stows away when monster-hunter Jacob Holland anchors his boat nearby. Heading into uncharted waters, Jacob and Maisie gain a new
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understanding of the aquatic creatures’ place in their world. Nominated for the 2023 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film.
CHASING CORAL (MOVIE)
When we think of sea-life and sea creatures, one does not immediately think of coral. Dive into a deep pedagogic adventure with this documentary, exploring the Coral world and its importance to our planet, as divers, scientists, and photographers from around the world mount an epic underwater campaign to document their disappearance.
THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT (MOVIE)
When a fortune teller passes through town, orphan Peter asks if his long-lost sister is alive. The fortune teller’s mysterious answer (“An elephant will lead you to her!”) sets off a remarkable chain of events.
Elephants are known as “gardeners of the forest” for spreading tree seeds that capture carbon.
Newly launched on March 17!
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER (MOVIE)
Shot over ten years, filmmaker Craig Foster forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a False Bay, South Africa kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her life and world.
Won the Academy Award® for Best Documentary in 2021.
OUR GREAT NATIONAL PARKS (SHOW)
Narrated by former US president, Barack Obama, this docu-series tells the story of several national parks around the world through the lives of its wildest residents. Highlighting extraordinary species and habitats, the series travels to countries such as Australia, Indonesia, Kenya, Chile, and the United States to illustrate the importance of protecting the world’s remaining wildernesses and making them accessible for all.
THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS RIDES AGAIN (SHOW)
Ms. Frizzle’s sister takes her class on wild science adventures in this update of the beloved animated show.
Sustainability episodes to watch:
Season 1, Episode 1: Frizzle of the Future
Season 1, Episode 10: The Tales Glaciers Tell
CONVERSATION STARTER: What have humans done to put nature at risk and what can we do now to protect it?
13+ Years Old
DOWN TO EARTH WITH ZAC EFRON (SHOW)
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Follow Zac Efron and wellness expert Darin Olien across Iceland, Peru, Australia, and more as they examine the impacts of climate change and meet passionate innovators changing the world.
Won the Emmy® for Outstanding Daytime Program Host in 2021.
THE MINIMALISTS (MOVIE)
Can our lives be better with less? Longtime friends Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus share how they’ve built a movement out of minimalism and why that’s better for us – and the planet.
THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND (MOVIE)
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tells the true story of William Kamkwamba, the young Malawi boy who built a windmill in the early 2000s out of materials salvaged from “junk” to supply water and save his family and village from drought and famine. Adapted from Kamkwamba’s autobiography, this film offers an intimate portrait of a family experiencing the frontlines of climate change through extreme weather changes, hotter summers, and shorter rain seasons which leave their very survival and livelihood in peril.
CONVERSATION STARTER: How has the show or movie inspired you to take action to protect nature in your own life?
