The Lazy Sunday Guide

It’s the weekend yet you don’t feel like going out? Me either (like most Sundays, honestly)! Let’s keep those PJs on, get some popcorn, wine (since we all know a glass a day, keeps the doctor away ;) ) and get into Yoda mode. Many people have been asking me how I got interested in a more sustainable life. From not purchasing clothing of the “season” like most people to trying to produce less to zero trash. Everything I do and purchase is as environmentally friendly as possible. Even if that means doing hours of research about the companies and their practices. I’m not going to lie. I enjoy it. This research frequently leads me to new brands, places, and products that later become my favorite ones. What can I say? I guess I’m what people called a nerd. A sustainable nerd haha.

Please know it didn’t happen from one day to another. I didn’t wake up one day and refused to eat meat and say no to the $0.10 bags. It was a process. It all started in 2015 while I was still in college. I "accidentally" took a class called Environmental Problems and solutions. It fitted my schedule for that semester and I can say it was the best accident in my life. The professor made us watch parts of Earthlings, which opened a new whole world.

Here is a list of my favorite documentaries that not only kept me entertained, but that also changed my perspective on things. In few words, they changed my life.

I broke them down in categories. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Fashion Industry:

The True Cost (Netflix): This one is the reason that made me look into sustainable options and opened my eyes to my favorite brands. It shows the truth behind the $10 dresses we love to buy and use probably once.

River Blue (Stremio, online): I have a passion for the ocean, rivers, waterfalls, etc. This one explains how fashion has a direct impact on the contamination on all of the above. It also helps you understand more of the process of creating the fabrics.

Food Industry:

What the health (Netflix): This documentary examines the link between the food industry, healthcare, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Food, Inc (Netflix): Walks you through the influence of big corporations in the food we consume every day.

Consumerism:

The Minimalists (on Netflix): It takes you through the journey of 2 guys into the mantra that less is more. Even though it might seem more promotional than actionable tips, it still makes you think about our purchasing habits and how they affect not only our wallet but our lives.

'The Century of the self' explains how Freud found the way to play with our brains and help develop what we call marketing.

Global Warming/Power:

Before the Flood (Netflix): Leonardo Dicaprio walks us through global warming issues. He makes it easy to understand them even though they are more complicated to solve.

When Two Worlds Collide: I’m from Peru so I felt this was a must watch. I thought this documentary was necessary to watch since I'm from Peru. While watching it, I realized it didn’t matter where I'm from. This one shows you how governments and power care more about profits than the environment, in this case, the Amazon forest. Yes, the world's lungs are less valuable for some people compared to money.

Of course, there are many more great documentaries for each category. I chose the ones that I liked the most and that I thought that are the ones to get you interested and motivated to do more research. Also, even though most of them are on Netflix, you can find them online as well. There’s a streaming service called Stremio where you can watch many of the documentaries for free! Remember: question everything and don't stop looking for information.

PS: If you know about any other documentaries or find anything interesting, don’t be shy and send them my way as well :)