Watch this documentary on Earth Day in Durham

Columnist Margaret Carney urges readers to watch the documentary “Life on Our Planet” narrated by famous British naturalist Sir David Attenborough. It reminds us of how beautiful the natural world is, how much humans have damaged and disturbed it, and that

Stay and watch TV? When do we all need to be around on Earth Day to plant native trees, dig for invasive species, and clear debris from the boardwalk and shoreline? Crazy, isn’t it? But everything “ normal ” is turned upside down these days, and I think watching an exceptional TV show, David Attenborough “Life on our planet”It would be a perfect way to honor Earth on this very special day.

My sister in Ithaca, New York, was so moved when she saw her calling me crying and insisting that I look at her. I don’t have Netflix, but luckily just before the recent shutdown, I was greeted kindly into the neighbor’s basement living room, with the mask in place, to watch. As surprised as the movie was, my friend sent the link to her two children – one living in the Netherlands and the other in Thailand – so they could watch it too. I later found out that it was available for free on YouTube.

Why would this two-hour documentary be recommended – even necessary – to see the 7.8 billion people currently living on planet Earth? Because it shows clearly and graphically, in vivid colors, what’s going on in the world, given the way we interact with things. Spoiler alert: By not living in harmony with the natural world, as species do in a balanced ecosystem, we are on the way to climate catastrophe and the sixth mass extinction of species. Maybe even ours.

While the message is dark, the film is extraordinarily beautiful and incredibly engaging. Photographing natural wonders throughout his life, Sir David presents poignant clips of him as a young man with mountain gorillas, beautiful courtship birds of paradise, leopards, lions and lemurs – all over the place. glory you expect from the world’s highest natural world. world. Today, in the mid-1990s, he tells a moving personal story of how, over the course of his long career, he has seen wild places and their various inhabitants gradually disappear as we cut down and burn down rainforests for graze cattle and plant palm oil, our oceans. pollute them. with plastic and fuel continue to burn Carbon dioxide, filling our atmosphere with carbon dioxide which warms the climate.

It then describes the steps we can take if we hope to reverse the looming reality; Apply solar, wind, geothermal, and more plant-based diets and living standards that would encourage residents to have fewer children. If we leave a lot of land untamed, biodiversity can thrive again.

We are definitely intelligent beings. Surely we are wise enough to follow his advice for a happy ending?

Nature studies: [email protected] from 116-725-725-905.

Margaret Carney, a nature writer from Durham, has over 4,500 species on her bird list, many of which can be seen in the far reaches of our beautiful planet.