01:58 In this visually stunning spot an icy Julia Roberts speaks for nature, changing the typical tone to say nature doesn’t need us. All the talk of “saving the planet” overlooks one thing – the planet, as abused as it’s been, will be fine in the long run. It’s humans who need saving. “I have fed species greater than you and I have starved species greater than you. … I’m prepared to evolve. Are you?”

03:59 The fierce urgency of China’s building obsession has rarely been clearer than in this time lapse video of a skyscraper going up right before our eyes. The video captures the tower, made of modular blocks, going up at a rate of three floors per day. For a little comparison: If One World Trade Center had risen at that speed, then it would have topped out in barely more than a month.

05:39 In this BBC News post, an imperial eagle takes off from Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and soars above Dubai, capturing majestic panoramic views as he navigates himself back to his trainer.

01:45 This chilling (and clever) video from Greenpeace depicts LEGO huskies and polar bears drowning after what looks like an Arctic oil spill — referencing Shell, which has plans to drill for oil in the region. Greenpeace claimed victory after its high profile campaign led to LEGO pulling out of a $110 million marketing contract with  Shell.

02:34 You’ll get goose bumps with this stunning perspective of a polar bear family’s quest across the Arctic Ocean in search of sea ice. The filmmaker strapped a GoPro camera onto a polar bear from a group of four, capturing their journey from a refreshing new perspective. Not only is this footage beautiful, it gives a powerful visual message about how each year it gets harder and harder for polar bears to find sea ice.

03:36 A quite amazing, disturbing, and in some ways inspiring animated video that takes a critical look at the negative impact man is having on our planet. It depicts the destruction we have wrought against ourselves and our planet. And in the end, man, sitting on his throne, is dealt a karmic blow. He is destroyed by beings from another planet who land on earth, squish him into a welcome mat, then shuffle off in their spaceship.

04:25 In this funny mockumentary an ad executive talks about one of his industry’s go to tactics when it comes to marketing food: just add the word “natural.”

03:09 This clever video from Rainforest Alliance shows how easy it is to do something good by showing exactly what you’re not going to do. “You are not going to quit your job, head into the rainforest and lead an epic battle between the indigenous tribal people and the evil loggers – but it is sure fun to see someone try!”

03:22 Set to an eerie rendition of Fiona Apple’s Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory this animated masterpiece follows a sad scarecrow as he travels through a dystopian factory city run by a conglomerate called ‘Crow Foods.’ The scenes of dark devastation offer a stark contrast between the world of pure imagination of the lyrics and the factory-farmed animals being processed.

04:02 A remarkable humorous and surprisingly insightful animated conversation between a sperm whale and a man. The whale does most of the talking as they each try to convince the other that his brain is bigger and his approach to life is the better one. This short was an Official Selection of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

03:47 Clever satire graphically detailing how to use bleach to wipe out every species on the Earth and scrub oceans, forests, and plains of all life.

04:15 Coca-Cola’s famous polar bears are skewered – as is the whole soft-drink industry – in a clever and cute animated anti-sugary-drink satire set to a bouncy song. The video’s goal is to show the ill effects of drinking too many sugary beverages. The papa bear not only suffers from erectile dysfunction, but also contracts Type 2 diabetes, which forces him to have a “grizzly” leg amputation. The video ends with the polar bear family pouring their cola into the ocean.

02:01 An amazing video. Photographed against plain black or white backgrounds, National Geographic photographer John Sartore’s color portraits capture the essence of each creature, large or small. Set to music, his pictures offer an intimate and up-close look into the eyes, or petals, of wildlife in jeopardy or teetering on the brink of extinction.

01:36 Radiohead partnered with Greenpeace in this poignant ad that shows a homeless polar bear wandering around London, set to the sad soundtrack of “Everything In Its Right Place.” With narration from Jude Law, the spot is being used to help raise awareness about oil companies looking to drill in this bear’s Arctic home.

06:07 You’ll watch in disbelief. Imagine a 30-story tall, 183,000-square-foot hotel built in 360 hours. Just 15 days! It was erected near the Dongting lake in the Hunan Province, China by a company specializing in sustainable architecture. Wow. For more details on the energy efficiency and building process see this Gizmodo post.

03:38 Watch what happens in this animated satire when a small town polar bear leaves his lonely Arctic world and finds himself adrift in LA-LA Land. Behold his rocket rise to stardom, his inevitable crash and burn, his friendship with Leonardo DiCaprio, his dust-up with Scientology, and his painful journey to redemption and bear-awareness.

15:36 Join John Hardy on a tour of the Green School, his off-the-grid school in Bali. The centerpiece of the campus is a spiraling Heart of School, one of the world’s largest freestanding bamboo buildings.

04:00 A spoof wildlife documentary narrated by Jeremy Irons which tracks the ‘migration’ of a plastic bag from a grocery store parking lot to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean.

02:58 Animated infographic from National Geographic presenting a broad overview of the demographic trends that got us to today and will impact us all tomorrow as the world population approaches 7 billion.

01:03 Seeing her arctic home melting away, a lone polar bear sets out on a great journey to surprise a suburban commuter with a big hug to say thank you for driving a fully electric car (a Nissan Leaf).

08:18 Annie Leonard targets the cosmetics industry, examining the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products, from lipstick to baby shampoo, and detailing how bathrooms all over America are minefields of chemical nasties.

02:47 Watch a clever pug sort paper from plastic, ride mass transit, swap carrots for cows, and do other green activities. It’s set to Ray Charles’ rendition of Kermit’s “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”

04:04 Genius. So cool. A Hong Kong architect shows the possibilities of a small space by transforming his 344 sq. ft. apartment into 24 different ‘rooms’ using sliding panels and walls.

02:02 Inspired by the Oscar-winning feature documentary THE COVE, stars from film, TV and music band together to help save Japan’s dolphins in this powerful video. The message is: We’re the dolphins only hope.

08:04 Environmentalist Annie Leonard blends animation and live-action in this rant about bottled water. She explains why American consumers favor bottled water over tap, even though tap water is often better tasting and healthier for us and the environment.

01:51 Watch the installation at the Louvre of an outdoor display in which the message that unsafe drinking water kills 8 million people a year is lit up in falling water in honor of World Water Day. This powerful video captures its construction and the reactions it drew.

52:18 This episode from “The Nature of Things” illustrates the science of biomimicry and introduces leading figures in the field including Wes Jackson, Ray Anderson, Paul Hawken, and Janine Benyus. Biomimicry (from ‘bios’ meaning life, and ‘mimesis’ meaning to imitate) is a science that studies nature’s best ideas and imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. 

03:54 This stunning stop-motion music video stars a dancing bowerbird who watches the destruction of his forest environment by human forces. It features a love affair between two soon-to-be-crisp Praying Mantises. The film takes the visual spectacle of a nature documentary and puts it into a stop-motion animated world.

09:56 Annie Leonard uses simple graphics and a clear narrative in this fast-paced, fact-filled look at the Cap and Trade climate solution – how it works, who benefits from it,  and who the key players are.

01:54 This giant is a force of nature – huge, strong, and friendly – who wanders through the countryside, creating magical natural elements using clean tech resources.

04:57 At the Bronx Zoo’s eco restrooms each flush gives back to the earth thanks to hyper-efficient water recycling. Learn about them and watch as little kids share their wonder. A highlight is a cute little girl who takes the message to heart after being dazzled by the facilities. This video was a finalist in The Intelligent Use of Water film competition.

01:00 Two polar bears explore the possible causes of climate change in this cute cartoon. They consider everything from synthetic fishing lines to blue hats – discounting humans as a possible cause because they are sure we’d never do anything to hurt them.

15:19 In this compelling, graphically illustrated talk Pollan explores how our industrial food system is keeping us overly dependent on fossil fuels, destroying our environment, and making us sick. Breaking this cycle requires fundamentally changing our relationship to food.

03:45 This cartoon spoofs the Matrix films and reveals the lies we tell about where our food comes from. It stars a young pig, Leo, who lives on a ‘pleasant’ family farm. Leo is approached by a trench coat-clad cow, Moopheus, and joins him on a journey to learn more about what goes on behind closed barn doors at factory farms.

02:13 Here’s an idea: what if cars could shrink to fit in your pocket. This animated video from GOOD Magazine’s Big Ideas series considers the possibility and its ramifications.

09:04 How can 1 in 7 people be malnourished in the modern world? This artful video shows the causes (and solutions) through animation and infographics. To understand the complexities of the international food market–and how traders in Chicago can cause Africans to starve–you could get a Ph.D. in economics, or read a 400-page report from the World Bank. Or you can watch this video.

02:27 A clever animated history of our insatiable lust for oil wherever we can find it, and a glimpse of a possible future sucking the planet dry.

05:49 A small band of organic vegetable puppets battle the bad guys in this hilarious Star Wars spoof. Cuke Skywalker, Ham Solo, Chewbroccoli, and wise old Obi Wan Cannoli battle Darth Tader, evil lord of the Dark Side of The Farm. Can these Organic Rebels rescue Princess Lettuce and destroy the Death Melon in time? Or will Cuke be seduced by the Dark Side of the Farm, an empire of pollution and pesticides that has taken over the market with its arsenal of genetic engineering, irradiation and toxic chemicals?

09:14 A well-crafted story of a farmer who grows strawberries and vegetables and sells them at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City. It’s also the story of farmers’ markets. The video won the James Beard Award.

04:59 See two of New York’s most impressive green roofs and find out how they can help cities cool off and clean up. At a rooftop research station an expert explains how a few plants can reduce water pollution, cool the atmosphere, and improve air quality. The plush roof garden in a luxury building in Battery Park City shows how to add beauty to functionality.

01:30 This fun animated video explains how devices can turn energy created by humans into electricity, and how they can be harnessed to power the future.

00:48 Watch as an elephant comes in for a landing mimicking a jumbo jet in this clever International Fund for Animal Welfare PSA urging us to leave animals in their native habitats.

02:09 A clever animated short showing a plant’s growth, starring an apple seed. The seed is ‘born,’ germinates and grows, then it travels through mazes until it’s captured by a bird and the cycle starts again.

06:37 A cinematographic tour-de-force, with amazingly vibrant close-ups of plants, water elements, and very cool looking insects.