The ultimate Zero Waste documentaries list
Reading Time: 4 minutes
I’ve noticed that most of us need to witness facts or events in order to realize, believe, understand or remember some piece of information that we’ve heard, read or have been told.
Especially when it comes to topics that are hard to show or demonstrate such as micro-plastics contaminating the food chain for example.
So I’ve decided to draft this non-exhaustive list of documentaries that I hope will help you understand the waste problem that we’re currently facing and its after-effects on us and our planet, either it’s “visible” or “invisible” waste. And why reducing our trash and trying to move towards a Zero Waste lifestyle makes more and more sense nowadays.
Happy watching and let me know what you think; and you’re more than welcome to share your favorite Zero Waste/Sustainable movies/documentaries in the comment section 🙂
1. A Plastic Ocean
A Plastic Ocean is an adventure documentary shot in more than 20 locations over 4 years, and uncovers the truth about plastic pollution and the consequences on human health and marine ecosystems.
The documentary helps us realize that the use of plastic does more harm than good, though seen as safe and convenient; it is really a call to action to rethink our consumption: think reusable, not disposable.
What can we change now? For easy tips on how to be zero waste on the go and at home, head to the Zero Waste Tips section.
2. The true cost
Did you know that fashion is the second most pollutant industry after the oil and gas?
This documentary unveils the truth on the human and environmental impacts behind every piece of clothing that we own.
We live in a fast fashion society convincing us to buy more and more clothing each year: this movie is inviting us to take a step back and to consume fashion differently, to ask ourselves who made our clothes and what are the untold costs of the fashion industry.
How can we act now? Buy less clothes and ideally second hand, donate your unwanted clothes (don’t throw them away), choose local fashion brands, sourced and made locally or responsibly. I also invite you to join me: I challenged myself to buy nothing new this year: so far so good 🙂
3. Tomorrow
Humanity is threatened by climate change: instead of showing all the worst that can happen, journalist and NGO director Cyril Dion and actor and filmmaker Mélanie Laurent head out across the world with a small film crew, in search of people suggesting solutions and their actions.
Beyond ecology and waste pollution, Tomorrow is also covering agriculture, energy, economy, democracy and education; and shows tangible and positive solutions which are already working.
A must-see: positive, inspirational, meaningful and educational.
What can you do now? Watch the movie as soon as you can 🙂
4. Bag it
Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he navigates our plastic world. Jeb could be you or me, an individual who decides to take a closer look at our cultural love affair with plastics.
What starts as a film about plastic bags evolves into a wholesale investigation into plastic and its effect on our waterways, oceans, and even our own bodies. We see how our crazy for plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Right now.
How can we act now? Start simple: carry your reusable bag with you at all time and say no to plastic bags! That’s a good start 🙂
Click here for more Zero Waste inspiration!
5. Tapped
Tapped is a film that examines the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil.
Did you know that forty percent of bottled water is recycled tap water from municipal sources? Big corporations extract public water sources and sell it back to the public!
All of this water has then to be transported, processed, packaged and retailed, and most of those plastic bottles end up in landfills, or the ocean because only about 20 percent are recycled. Not to mention the fact that it has been proven that bottled water contains microplastics, and isn’t as healthy and safe as we think.
What alternatives do we have? If you can drink the water from the tap, just do it depending where in the world you are. Not all of us can do so but here are a few options: use a water filter at home, water purification tablets on the go or even reusable water bottles with built-in filter. Carrying a reusable water bottle is one of the easy steps towards a Zero Waste lifestyle.
6. Minimalism: A documentary about the important things
The Zero Waste movement and the minimalism movement tend to overlap on many principles: not using products we don’t need and reducing over-consumption.
This documentary focuses on two men, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, who decide to reduce their possessions down to only those that are essential and give them joy. You will learn more about how owning less stuff could make you happier!
Call to action? Give minimalism a try and see how it affects your life: start by putting aside the things that you no longer use for the past 6 months for example; it’s a sign that you don’t need them anymore. You can sell them or even better, donate them to those in need: do good and feel good! 😉
I’m myself trying to be more minimalist and it transformed my life in such a positive way: I’m less attached to stuff and no more hassle when moving around while living the digital nomad life 🙂
And in the end, you’re also leaving less trash behind! #onelesstrashatatime
