7 Great Videos About Nature and the Environment

For most of us, nature and trees live in the background of our lives, quietly filtering our air, stabilizing our soils, cleaning our water, moderating temperatures, providing habitat for wildlife, and more. We may not get outside as much as we'd like, and perhaps the closest we come is spending time with our furry friends. And that's understandable — we're busy, after all.

Still, study after study has proven the positive benefits we get from spending time in nature. But we don't need a study to tell us that we feel better when we can get outside. The good news? Even just looking at nature scenes and watching environment videos can have positive effects like reducing stress, boosting feel-good emotions like awe and wonder, and increasing energy. So the next time your boss wants to know why you're watching baby elephant videos on repeat, tell them that you're boosting employee morale. Without further ado....

Here's 7 of Our Favorite Environment Videos:

1. "Nature can repair our broken climate", say Greta Thunberg and George Monbiot.

In this inspiring tongue-in-cheek video, climate activist Greta Thunberg teams up with British writer and activist George Monbiot to encourage viewers to protect, restore, and fund nature — especially trees. If you haven’t been following Ms. Thunberg, we recommend that you start doing so!

2. How Trees Talk

Narrated by pioneering ecologist Suzanne Simard, this video explains how trees communicate via vast root systems, mycorrhizal networks, and chemical messages to protect and support each other against the many threats they face. After watching this, one can’t help but reflect on the power of community and the tragedy of competition-based forestry. In nature, there truly is so much more than meets the eye, and we have more in common with trees than we might think. 

3. Biodiversity Explained

Ever wondered what, exactly, biodiversity is — or why it's so important? Well, there's a video for that! Watch and you'll learn what biodiversity is, why protecting biodiversity is important, and how planting trees and restoring habitats and native species is central to our collective effort to preserve Earth's biodiversity. Prepare to be inspired in a big way!

4. Elegy for the Arctic

Through his music, acclaimed Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi has added his voice to those of eight million people from across the world demanding protection for the Arctic. Einaudi performed one of his own compositions on a floating platform in the middle of the Ocean, against the backdrop of the Wahlenbergbreen glacier (in Svalbard, Norway). With the beautiful composition and incredible, almost eerie setting, this video is guaranteed to give you chills!

5. The Beauty of Pollination

If you're familiar with the work of acclaimed cinematographer, director and producer Louie Schwartzberg, then you'll know you're in for a treat. This video, clipped from his "Wings of Life" film with Meryl Streep, uses high-end time-lapse cinematography to capture the magic of pollination, which we don't typically get to see in such intricate detail. Enjoy!

6. Jane Goodall Releases Chimp

Get the tissues ready, because this beautiful video of a female chimp that was rescued and is now being released back into the wild is guaranteed to bring you to tears. Her gratitude to her rescuers, and awe at finding herself back in the forest is further proof (as if we needed any) that animals are conscious, emotional beings. Sorry not sorry!
If you feel inspired, you can also check out our partnership with Jane Goodall and help plant trees for chimpanzees.

7. How tall can a tree grow?

If you’ve ever wondered what stops trees from stretching endlessly towards the sky, then Plant Genetics Researcher Valentin Hammoudi is your guy. In this fun video produced by TEDx, he shares some of his findings. A fascinating watch!