ISO legit uplifting and inspiring tree hugger doccos

September 12, 2020 7:36 AM

Having just watched The Need To Grow on an "uplifting" recommendation via my next door neighbour's Instagram feed, and finding my own uplift factor somewhat soured by the infomercial vibe infusing that experience, she's asked me if I know of any genuinely uplifting and inspiring tree-hugger documentaries.

No doom and destruction, please. That stuff I can super easily find on my own, and have already got more of than is good for anybody's mental health in a pandemic.

What we're after is documentaries showing instances of genuinely successful progress being made in ecologically sound directions, preferably involving neighbourhood and community-scale projects demonstrating workable, proven ideas suitable for lifting and adapting by people of goodwill elsewhere.

Any format, any source. Thanks!

posted by flabdablet to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

OK the first thing that popped into my mind is The Biggest Little Farm. This was so hopeful and positive that I actually cried happy tears of joy while watching it. ******Spoiler***** because you mentioned it, I feel I should let you know, that while there are some harrowing things that happen in the movie, the farm turns out just fine, in part because of the sustainable agriculture it practices.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 8:18 AM on September 12

I watched the first episode of Down to Earth with Zac Ephron. He and his buddy (who is supposed to be a wellness expert) who seems like the definition of a tree hugger travel the world I search of interesting health and environmental practices. The first episode was in Iceland and looks at a few of the way they exploit the island’s geothermal abnormalities to create electricity, solidify C02, and create mineral baths from industrial byproducts. It is about a third environments, a third food and wellness and a third of what amounts to some older frat boys on a road trip. The scenery for the first episode was pretty spectacular. I am not sure if it qualifies as a documentary, more like a series of mini docs, but seems to be in the spirit of what you are looking for.
posted by Short End Of A Wishbone at 12:17 PM on September 12

The Bentley Effect (trailer).
Spoiler alert: the community won.
This is my country and I was part of this.
posted by Thella at 8:00 PM on September 12

That's beautiful country and thank you.

These are great, keep 'em coming.
posted by flabdablet at 12:08 AM on September 13