For billions of years Earth has provided us - and all other living organisms - with the natural resources to sustain our very high-maintenance lifestyles. This Saturday is Earth Day, which means it's time to give back, and to get you all into planet-saving mode we’ve rounded up and recycled some of the most environmentally-friendly Videos made by our community. So instead of binge-watching Planet Earth on BBC this weekend (which is totally cool if you do), we hope you feel inspired by these Videos (some with equally epic drone shots of Mother Earth) to take action and find something meaningful to do in your own community.
Keeping The Bees
Animated by Pixeltown Arts // Solution by Matt Sweeney
This charming spot by Pixeltown Arts and our very own Matt Sweeney (back when he was still a community member) brings to life an ingenious solution to saving our ever-decreasing population of honey bees (and by extension, humankind) through an easy-to-use, smart beekeeper kit. Anyone with a backyard and a will to save the world can raise, manage, and share buzzworthy updates about their bee colony through a simple app - all while reaping the benefits of free honey.
2. Real Life Treasure
Directed by Nanea Miyata // Based on an Idea by House of Gitans
Two parents take their kids on an epic treasure hunt through their local forest preserve to prove just how much fun they can have outside. In an age where kids spend most of their time glued to screens, this PSA teaches us the importance of going outside and exploring nature. Filmmaker Nanea Miyata captures the lush greens and breathtaking views of the nature preserve - proving that nature needs no color correction, just a clean lens and a smooth slider.
3. Ecotech Evolution
Directed by Painting with Pictures
In this sleek animation, we’re introduced to a new kind of social impact technology that monitors and reports on global recycling trends of major corporations - allowing them to meet strict governmental regulations, while still contributing goods to the informal recycling economy that millions of urban waste pickers in Brazil and across the world rely on. This app takes a holistic view on the recycling economy and its impact on local and informal economies, helping to strike a balance between saving our planet and helping our urban poor.
4. Man in the Maze
Directed by Philip Buccellato
The Sundance Institute and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation teamed up to find stories of resilience, focusing on individuals and communities overcoming poverty and hunger. Man in the Maze tells the story of a borderland community in Arizona suffering from severe food insecurity, despite the fact that the town rests near one of the largest food port-of-entries in the U.S. It shows how the community bands together to rescue the thousands of pounds of discarded produce for redistribution to provide food relief for their community.
5. Olaf the Reindeer Herder
Video and Story by Rooster Films
Technology plays an important role in addressing a broad range of environmental issues, which is why it’s such a recurring theme here. Though this spot doesn’t have an overt environmental message, it shows us how humans can use technology in harmony with nature to help it survive. It also has some pretty epic drone shots of Norway’s icy terrain.
6. Monologue Earth
Video by Type 55 Films
If Earth could talk, and had a little bit of sass, what would she say? In this funny PSA, Earth has a lot on her mind, and she’s not afraid to give it to us straight. Mostly, she wants us to stop doing shady things online, and start engaging in real, fact-based constructive conversations about how we can become better stewards of the Earth.
7. One Love
Published on Bob Marley's YouTube Channel // Video by Painting in Pictures // Based on an Idea by Xavier Burgin
This feel-good music video features people all across LA singing to Bob Marley’s “One Love” and perfectly captures why taking care of Mother Earth is something that everyone should care about - we’re all on this spinning globe together!
Collectively, we hope these Videos are a call-to-action to get outside this weekend and do something good for the environment. If you have any other Earth Day-inspiration to share, please leave it in the comments section below!
