5 Films for Conscious Living

Greenhouse emissions, social responsibility, and accountability in production. How do we monitor the impacts our spending habits have on the world’s environment? Thankfully, the many media outlets at our disposal, paired with a steady stream of independent film directors ensure that we’re all in the loop of where to look or in this instance, what to watch. Today on The Goodness Journal, we explore five thought-provoking documentaries that explore and dissect the realities of agricultural animal farming, why minimizing our carbon footprint is vital, and veganism is on the rise.

 

 

Surviving Progress

Premiering at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, this detailed documentary is based off the book titled A Short History of Progress and a 2004 Massey Lectures series by author, Robert Wright on societal collapse. The film explores how fast-paced consumerism takes precedence over the well being of our planet and why the not too distant future may be bleak as a result.

 

 

Food, Inc.

A breakdown of the facade that is pasted across the illustrative works of many a supermarket meat/animal product. The film invites you to elevate your consciousness and highlights a plethora of key issues from the tactics employed by modern farmers to boost crop and animal growth to the social responsibility consumers face when opting for their food.

 

 

Forks Over Knives

Another gem from 2011 is Forks Over Knives, an American advocacy film that details the many wellness benefits of a low-fat, wholefood and vegan diet. The documentary expertly combines testimony from medical experts alongside scientific facts to corroborate the multitude of positive health benefits a plant-based diet entails from farming to consumption, as opposed to one which contains meat and highly processed foods.

 

 

The True Cost

An exploration of the impact of fast fashion on both the environment and the human beings that made them, often at less than a quarter of the price and in unsafe working conditions. The True Cost sheds much-needed light on the fashion industries rampant disregard for the environment and the plight of factory workers in third world countries, while highlighting a mindful approach to consumerism based on conscious principles and factual awareness.

 

 

An Inconvenient Truth

Often referred to as The Holy Grail of climate-change films, An Inconvenient Truth single-handedly inspired, educated, and shifted the worlds focus to the worrying impacts society has had on our planet. The 2006 documentary directed by David Guggenheim centres around the former United States Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to educate people about global warming and has widely been integrated into school curriculums for its in-depth research, statistical facts and indomitable proof that with a heightened sense of social responsibility we can impact our world for the better.

 

 

Each film presents a valid case for a more conscious approach to daily living, and in the end, the right decision is often the most informed one. So, whether you’re opting for a plant-based diet, staying away from dairy and meat or shopping sustainably. Being mindful of your choices is the key. Which documentary inspired you the most? Leave your comments on our official Instagram page.