Inspiring Ocean Documentaries on Netflix
Amidst the global climate change crisis, a big question in society is what can we do to help. The truth is, it all starts with being informed and making small changes daily. Luckily, streaming services have been doing their part in informing viewers what is really going on amidst this growing catastrophe and providing tips on ways for us to do our part. In particular, ocean documentaries on Netflix have been informative and captivating. Their level of expertise and production leaves you feeling inspired to make a change. Check out our list of top Netflix documentaries to learn more about what’s going on in your own backyard, and what you can do today to nurture Mother Earth!
The Blue Planet
This eight part ocean documentary series is narrated by Sir David Attenborough, so of course it’s a crowd favorite! The episodes are extremely thorough and focus on all oceanic animals and creatures. You can expect Sir Attenborough to touch on everything from unique creatures in the deep sea to well-known animals that reside on the coast. The best part is there are now TWO of these multi-part documentaries, so you can also enjoy The Blue Planet II!
Mission Blue
This documentary is a great rec for those that want to get inspired by organizations whose focus is to save marine life. Mission Blue is just that-an organization whose goal is to protect marine sanctuaries. The documentary follows founder/marine biologist/oceanographer/environmentalist/National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Sylvia Earle, as she sets out to save the ocean from external, man-made threats such as overfishing and toxic waste.
Chasing Coral
This documentary comes from the same director of the 2014 News and Documentary Emmy winner for Outstanding Nature Programming, Chasing Ice! Chasing Coral follows a group of divers, photographers and scientists whose goal is to document the coral reef bleaching epidemic. Coral reef bleaching is a phenomenon caused by warm waters. When the water is too warm, it causes corals to expel algae, which makes them turn white and causes them to be subject to mortality.
Our Planet Behind the Scenes
This documentary is actually a follow-up to the original documentary, Our Planet! Our Planet Behind the Scenes, quite literally, is the behind the scenes action from filming Our Planet. This documentary highlights exactly how difficult and consuming it is to film the hardships going on in our world.
A Plastic Ocean
As expected, the focus of this documentary is on the pollution and waste scattered in our oceans across the world. This award-winning film follows the five year journey of a documentary filmmaker, Tanya Streeter, investigating the shocking environmental impacts of man-made pollution taking over our oceans. This documentary is characterized as “provocative” and “dark” as we navigate exactly what’s happening in the sea.