Instant Documentary Marathon

In the last year, I feel that Netflix has really become a  big talking point. Sure, we always thought it was cool. Now that their instant library is becoming so extensive - people are jumping on the bandwagon. People seem to be watching really obscure movies so that they can bring it up in conversation (I myself have started watching a lot of Woody Allen movies). I also love how people will talk about a movie and then say, "It's on Netflix. You should watch it." It's become such a popular statement that I now have to remind people I don't have enough hours to watch the entire instant catalog, but I am trying!

What I love most is the mass availability of good documentaries. I am addicted to documentaries. Especially green/food documentaries. For today's post, I thought I would talk about the documentaries that are available to watch online through Netflix. Remember, these are just the ones I like that can be found on Netflix. There are a ton more out there to watch, but I'll save that list for another day. All of these films helped deepen my commitment to real food. Some of them I have watched several times because they always inspire me to analyze my life and figure out what else I can be doing. Enjoy!

• American Experience: Earth Days - This is a PBS documentary that shows how the green movement really got started.
• Food, Inc. - Yes, I know you have heard about it. Yes, it will make you want to stay away from the meat counter and any conventional grocery store. However, it will truly inspire you to find and enjoy food grown in sustainable ways.
• Dirt! The Movie - I know this sounds weird - this is a cute but serious documentary. It shows how deeply we are connected to dirt and how humans are basically destroying and compromising everything good about dirt.
• King Corn - Corn is in everything! EVERYTHING! These two guys from the city buy an acre of Iowa land and grow  commercial corn. They document the growing process and where there corn will go. Along the way, we learn about some of the mainstream practices that are killing small farms.
• The Gerson Miracle - This film is very special to me. It's about a clinic who is curing cancer with a raw vegan diet. I had actually started researching vegan diets weeks before my mom died. I had planned to graduate college, move back to the farm, and heal my mom from the inside. I have talked to a lot of people about this treatment and I get a lot of weird stares. However, when you realize someone you love has no other options you'd be lusting after this treatment as well. My main point - food is the ultimate healer.
• Food Matters - This is sort of a companion film to The Gerson Miracle. They talk about super foods, vitamins, and how important it is to choose natural foods. For a short while after I watched the film, I would drink a glass of water as soon as I woke up. Guess you'll have to watch to find out why!
• No Impact Man - This follows a man who blogged about reducing his impact on the planet as much as possible. Even though he goes to some extremes (like shutting off his electricity in his New York apartment), he does come around at the end and talk about what would really work in an everyday house hold.
• The Garden - The film documents the end of this very large community garden in LA. It brings up a lot political issues about land abandonment and ownership.

What are some of your favorite green minded documentaries?