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Environmental Documentaries To Watch For Earth Day 2024

Animal IQ (2021): Featuring elephants, foxes, otters, and more, this new series from PBS Digital Studios and Nature takes a look at the intelligence of Earth's animals with a new episode every three weeks. In each installment, Trace Dominguez and Natalia Borrego talk to experts and conduct research to determine how and if animals can actually think.

Our Planet(2019): Unlike the BBC's beloved Planet Earth and Blue Planet series, Our Planet focuses directly on how each ecosystem featured is currently being threatened by climate change. One scene in particular has caused an appropriately dramatic reaction: a group of Russian walruses falling down a steep rock cliff to their deaths. Narrator Sir David Attenborough explains that receding ice levels have left fewer places for the animals to gather, highlighting just how devastating the warming of the planet has already become.

Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014): Made by the same team who brought us 2017's controversial What the Health documentary,Cowspiracy is, on its surface, a look at the damaging environmental effects of the livestock industry. Like What the Health, much of the information is presented from a very pro-vegan perspective, and not a lot of balanced reporting is offered. Still, it can serve as a starting point to learn about how meat production uses more resources and contributes more to global greenhouse gas emissions than, say, a plant-based diet, and that may help us make more informed food choices.

Chasing Coral (2017): Coral reefs not only serve as a nurturing and essential environment to all ocean life, but also help protect coastlines from flooding during extreme weather events. Unfortunately, due to warming sea temperatures, overfishing, pollution, and other human activities, their vivid, beautiful ecosystems are facing rapid decline. Chasing Coral attempts to document this "coral bleaching" and the devastating economic and environmental effects it could have — as well as the wider problems it may represent. (photo via Netflix)

The Milk System(2017): Milk has always represented health, nutrients, and strong bones but The Milk System dives into how the system in question really operates. Speaking with farmers, dairy owners, scientists, and more, this Earth Day documentary examines the profits, responsibilities, and costs of this billion dollar industry.

A Plastic Ocean(2016): In the face of realizing its irreversible environmental effects, the world is slowly moving toward banning many single-use plastics. A Plastic Ocean starts out as a documentary on blue whales but quickly turns into a study on the devastating effects that plastic pollution has had in the lives of ocean animals, from the whales, to dolphins, to seals, and more. It's an eye-opening look at what our plastic use is doing to these creatures, and to the state of much of our own food supplies.

Kiss the Ground (2020): This full-length documentary, narrated by Woody Harrelson, looks at the way regenerative agriculture (which focuses on topsoil regeneration) has the potential to feed the world, replenish water supplies, and even balance our climate. Activists, scientists, farmers and politicians take part in this move towards saving the planet's topsoil.

B+C: Why do you think so many of us are overthinking things, especially in the age of modern social media?

Amanda Montell: I decided to title the book The Age of Magical Overthinking because I couldn't help but notice that there just seems to be an inexplicable, excessive [amount of] delulu in the culture despite the fact we're living in the so-called information age. Everything from people with Master's degrees basing their genuine decisions on astrology to, you know, my neighbors opting not to get the Covid vaccine because a TikToker — a like, white girlie with a Bindi — told them it would downgrade their DNA.

Stuff like that didn't seem to check out for me, especially since we're ostensibly living in a time when you can fact check anything with the click of a button. I was like, 'What is going on here,' and as it turns out, what is going on is this innate clash between our innate decision-making shortcuts — the processes by which we always jump to conclusions in order to make quick decisions to make sense of the world enough to survive it. There's a clash between those age old decision-making methods called cognitive biases and the information age in a way that is ending up pretty explosive for society at large...and is causing us a great deal of existential pain.

So, magical thinking — or the idea that our internal thoughts can affect external events — is a human quirk that has been around since the dawn of our species. But I think overthinking is really a product of the modern age or result of this capitalistic pressure to be right about everything under the sun...

B+C: How do you think this is impacting the way we interact with each other?

Amanda Montell: There's a lot going on. We need to interact in person in order to have empathy...to establish the social glue that keeps us from getting into extremely fraud and sometimes violent ideological conflict. I think there's the idea that the internet is causing ideological rifts to widen and I think in a way that's true, but what's more problematic is the fact we are engaging in social discourse in a medium that prevents that empathy from holding us together.

I think almost everyone can relate to the experience of receiving a curt email from a boss or receiving a salty Instagram comment that sends us into fight or flight. We're responding to non-threats — these sort of abstract disagreements or fake problems — that we're projecting panic onto.

B+C: Can you break down the halo effect for our readers?

Amanda Montell: It was so much fun to explore this particular cognitive bias early in the book because I felt like it really would set up the whole thesis of it quite well. Basically the halo effect is this penchant admire one quality in a person — their fashion sense, their intelligence, the way they blend an oat milk latte — and then assume they must be perfect overall. This halo effect connects to the ways ancient humans used to find role models for survival purposes in our communities.

Ages ago, you used to clock someone in your small village with big muscles...and figure, 'Oh they must be a skilled hunter or they've avoided disfigurement from battle. I would love to align myself with this person for survival,' even though you're jumping to conclusions about them. Their big muscles might not necessarily indicate that they're skilled in battle or they're a good hunter, but it's an efficient enough decision to make.

We're not mapping that conclusion jumping onto modern parasocial relationships. We see a pop star whose music we really connect to and assume they must be educated, worldly, nurturing, they're political beliefs align with ours in this particular time when we're losing so much trust in the government...Basically since the Regan era — our first celebrity President — celebrities have really started swerving into other aspects of life (spiritual, political, etc.,)...

Rapid Fire Q&A

B+C: What are some some of the things you're currently obsessing over?

Amanda Montell: That's so funny you asked that because on this new podcast — The Magical Overthinkers — I also am opening every episode by asking 'What's an irrational thought spiral that's living rent-free in your head?'

I am totally overthinking my book tour outfits right now. Speaking of consumerism as like a distracting or numbing exercise, launching a book is very stressful and the one thing that made me feel some sense of relief is just shopping for cute outfits. I've been buying a lot of plaid skirt suits. The vibe is definitely 90s nostalgic, a little dark academia meets cochette.

B+C: If you were to give yourself five days to unplug from social media, how would you spend your time?

Amanda Montell: Great question. You know what? I'm setting up a week like this for myself in May after the book tour stuff dies down. After my last book Cultish came out, I was unwell in the mind. I felt so exposed and so fragile. I was like, 'I need to send myself on some kind of retreat,' so I sent myself on this little solo excursion to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina and it was so healing...I went and lived in an Airstream for a couple of days. I was doing nature walks and lying in a hammock journaling...

The Age of Magical Overthinking

Watch the Full Interview with Amanda Montell:

Who's returning to "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" for season 14?

There aren't any official announcements about the returning cast yet, but there are plenty of stories out there about who's not returning — and who's potentially getting demoted!

First up is Dorit Kemsley. Dorit's been on the show a while now, gabbing and girling with Kyle Richard throughout the latter half of the show's history — but there's been a wrench in that relationship ever since Kyle befriended Morgan Wade. And now, The Daily Mail exclusively reported that Dorit may even get demoted to "friend of the show" after not being fully truthful about the state of her relationship with husband PK Kemsley. Kyle Richards "dismissed" these reports, but we'll have to see about that. Fingers crossed she and Kyle can mend things...and that she and the producers can as well!

Next, we've gotta address Anne Marie Wiley. Anne Marie was let go from the show after just one season — where we can't help but giggle at the journey from calling herself a literal doctor to finally addressing that she's actually a nurse — and is allegedly okay with it. She told Peoplethat she's "in a great space" since then, so...good for you, girl! Just maybe don't obsess over someone's esophagus in your next foray into the film and TV world.

A regular for the last three season, Crystal Kung Minkoff is also not returning to the RHOBH world, according to Deadline. She noted on Instagram how heavy it was to carry "the weight" of being the first — and only — Asian American woman to join the RHOBH cast. Her presence and thoughtful opinions will definitely be missed!

For now, we can only assume that Kyle Richards, Garcelle Beauvais, Erika Jayne, Dorit Kemsley, and Sutton Stracke will make a return, but only time — and tabloids — will tell!

Will any new cast members join "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" season 14?

Apparently Melanie Griffith, known for starring in projects like Working Girl, is joining the RHOBH crew for season 14, according to In Touch Weekly! She's a long-time friend to Kyle Richards, and I think that'll add a great dynamic...especially given how rocky things got between Kyle and Dorit last year. The girl needs friends now more than ever!

One of the sillier rumored cast situations is that Chelsea Handler was joining the show. The hilarious comedian quickly shut that down, however.

A person we don't think will ever return as a main cast member, friend, or otherwise? Miss upside down jacket herself, Denise Richards. 🤭

Who's still a couple on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" right now?

That's a very, very good question! Kyle and Mauricio are definitely broken up, and seemingly for good. The only other remaining couple is Dorit and PK, and well...according to The Daily Mail, PK's living in the Beverly Hills Hotel at the moment. It's not looking great for them, but we're hoping for the best!

When will "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" season 14 air?

There's no set air date for Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 14, but I'd have to guess that we'll see these ladies (and whoever else joins them) by sometime in 2025.