Top Sustainability Documentaries on Netflix

One of the best ways to learn about issues affecting our world is through documentaries, and Netflix has a whole host of incredible films that focus on issues of sustainability. These films will challenge the way you think about the world and inspire you to act and vote with your dollar.

Here are some of our favorite sustainability documentaries on Netflix here at Good Soul Shop: 

Cowspiracy 

Cowspiracy, The Sustainability Secret is the film Environmental groups don't want you to see. The animal agriculture industry is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.

Kip Andersen takes a shocking, yet humorous, look at the industry and rattles some nerves as industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist. This film examines the destruction large-scale farming has on our planet and offers a sustainable path forward for our growing population. 

Good Soul Shop gives rates this film 🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿 (out of four)

Expedition Happiness

If you are as obsessed about #skoolie living as I am, then you will fall in love with this endearing and heartfelt documentary about tiny living. Felix and Selima convert an old school bus into a tiny home and set out for a year of travel with their dog Rudi. This documentary is a fun and realistic look at life on the road, living a zero waste life, and showing the beauty of nature and trials of tiny living.

 Good Soul Shop gives rates this film 🌿 🌿 🌿 

Minimalism: A Documentary About Important Things

Zero waste, sustainability, and minimalism all go hand-in-hand. This documentary follows minimalists from all different walks of life as they reinterpret the American Dream and learn the freedom of living with much less.

This is a great documentary if you ever wondered what minimalism looks like on a practical level for different lifestyles. Plus, there’s something satisfying about watching minimalism at work. 

Good Soul Shop gives rates this film 🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿 (out of five) 
Note: The team followed this film up with a sequel called 'The Minimalists - Less is Now.' We rate the sequel 🌿 🌿 because we found it to be redundant to the original.

A Plastic Ocean

A team of international scientists and underwater explorers shed light onto the massive problem of plastic polluting our oceans. If you needed a reason to get behind the plastic-free movement, seeing the direct impact that plastic pollution has on marine wildlife and the ocean itself is a huge motivator.

The documentary also makes a point to mention that once plastic is in the food chain, it becomes part of our diet as well. This pollution directly affects us, not just our ocean.

Good Soul Shop gives rates this film 🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿 

Broken

 This unique docuseries takes on the consumer product industry, shining a light on the negligence and deceit that goes into producing and marketing consumer goods. The makeup industry, vaping brands who market to teens, brands that sell single-use plastics under the guise they are recyclable, and Ikea's eco-friendly branding, which hides faulty manufacturing are all under the microscope with this illuminating series. Great for those who love docs but can't invest a full two hours...unless of course you find these binge-worthy, then all bets are off.

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

This lighthearted and calming documentary is a fresh take on decluttering, the KonMari way. What sparked a flurry of social media posts and commentary, Marie Kondo introduces us to Japanese art of 'tokimeku,' or sparking joy. This documentary is highly recommended to those who love to organize, or better yet, those who don't! Watch this on a Friday evening and then spend your Saturday seeing if your possessions 'spark joy.'

Good Soul Shop gives rates this film 🌿 🌿 🌿 

Once you’ve gotten your fill of these great documentaries, hopefully, you’ll be inspired to eat and live more sustainably. If everyone does their part, we can change everything. It all starts with one Good Soul.

Have a 'must see' documentary to add to the list? Or comments on any of the films that made our list? Leave a comment below!