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<a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/dont-look-up-netflix-weekly-viewing-records-1235147910/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breaking Netflix records</a>, Adam McKay’s latest film, Don’t Look Up, depicts scientists’ warning of an imminent meteor strike on Earth, presenting an extinction-level threat. Within its first 28 days of release, Don’t Look Up had racked up an incredible 350 million hours of viewing time &#8211; the second-most of any film on Netflix so far.
As many commentators have pointed out, the core message of Don’t Look Up isn’t actually about a meteor strike, <a href="https://dontlookup.count-us-in.com/story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it’s about climate change</a>. 
So, we chatted to members of the Ecologi team to hear their thoughts about the movie.

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Working in the climate space, many members of the Ecologi team watched Don’t Look Up with some trepidation; would our own personal experiences of struggling to communicate the seriousness of climate change be reflected in the film? The answer, it turned out, was an emphatic ‘yes’.
Don’t Look Up is a parody of reality, but it definitely wasn’t the laugh-a-minute experience one often expects of a parody &#8211; at least not for the Ecologi team. Alex, one of our Senior Developers, remarked right away that he found it “a hard watch”, and Paula, our Senior Finance Manager, said that parts of the film made her feel “uncomfortable and anxious because it shone a light on the reality that is climate denial”.
Matt, one of our Product Managers, summed up how impactful the film was, saying he found himself “going from seeing clearly the synonymity with the climate emergency, then getting immersed in the film, then bang, back to seeing clearly again. The power was in having this realisation over and over during the film. It was like a rollercoaster ride.” 
Sam, our Climate Impact Manager, noted that “not all ‘climate denial’ is as clear-cut as abject denial of human-caused climate change. Often, responses to our concerns about warming are heard and understood &#8211; even by family members or friends &#8211; but then, nothing happens. Their perceptions and behaviour don’t really change. For me, that can be a form of denial too.”
The stark contrast between the response of people working in the climate sector and people who are less involved in climate work was made clear in <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emmastewart_dont-look-up-science-themed-movie-review-ugcPost-6890455727878524928-p91l/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of Netflix’s promotional posters</a> for the film. While one representative from the American Film Institute described the film as “a screamingly funny action film”, climate scientist <a href="https://rhstar.org/nominee/peter-kalmus-phd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Kalmus</a> echoed our team’s responses, describing the film as “the most accurate film about society’s terrifying non-response to climate breakdown I’ve seen”.

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Don’t Look Up satirises power and politics through a populist US President character, portrayed by Meryl Streep, a Bezos-Zuckerberg-Musk-esque tech billionaire character (Mark Rylance), and two overly-manufactured media personalities on a daily talk show, The Daily Rip (Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry). Whilst there are certainly no prizes for guessing who Meryl Streep’s character is based on &#8211; with her three-word catchphrases and nepotistic White House hiring practices &#8211; there is more nuanced commentary than simply political caricaturisation taking place.
Sam, our Climate Impact Manager, said “One of the great challenges in climate action, and one of the key drivers of the ‘knowledge-action gap’ &#8211; which we see when our politicians understand climate change but do nothing substantial about it &#8211; is political short-termism. When political time horizons extend only as far as the next election cycle, candidates resort to cheap slogans and insubstantial policies which don’t even try to address more long term issues, like climate and ecological breakdown.” 
Regarding the media, <a href="https://twitter.com/ayanaeliza/status/1475257735184891909?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the climate community has felt seen</a> by the cringeworthy interactions between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence (the concerned scientists) and their contemporaries in power and in the media.
Sam continued, “The dynamic on the talk show satirises a very real trend in coverage of climate change, which is that for over 40 years the media has spectacularly failed to deliver key messages on climate in the service of either ‘balance’ (where climate deniers are given equal priority to climate experts) or ‘entertainment’ (where the gravity of climate change is trivialised or diminished).”

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The verdict from our team was that Don’t Look Up does well to capture typical human responses to learning of imminent existential threats, such as reacting with disbelief, humour or avoidance. We’ve all seen these emotions and reactions in friends and family members, not to mention politicians and people with the power to change our trajectory &#8211; and have even gone through many of these stages ourselves. 
As we try to help others understand the threats posed by climate change in the hope of bringing about change, responses such as “don’t be so dramatic” or “it can’t possibly be that bad” are all too familiar. Accusations of hysteria are also all too common, especially targeted towards prominent young female activists such as <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/women/greta-thunberg-climate-change-crisis-strike-austism-misogyny-protest-speech-a9127971.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greta Thunberg</a>. This was perfectly portrayed in the film when even high-level scientists and experts responded to news of an imminent extinction-level event by saying “let’s not be dramatic here” and “let’s all calm down”! 
Abi, our Marketing Manager, said that, “The main point that really struck me throughout the film was disbelief. We know that there is a climate crisis, the science is there, but it comes down to humanity’s ability to emotionally comprehend the effects on their own lives that is really the deeper issue.” Despite the <a href="https://lens.monash.edu/@science/2021/10/21/1383952/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-gets-even-stronger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear and overwhelming evidence and scientific consensus about climate change and our role in causing it</a>, the frustration that the scientists &#8211; DiCaprio and Lawrence &#8211; felt is something lots of us can relate to. Matt, one of our Product Managers, pointed out just “how ridiculous the responses and reactions were to the situation”, and that, because of this, the film makes it “hard not to stop and think”.
Even when protestors in Don’t Look Up can physically see the threat heading towards them, they still choose not to believe it &#8211; because, naturally, it scares them. As it does everybody. 
“By ignoring the science, we’re avoiding the inevitable, but by stopping ourselves from exploring these feelings of mortality, we’re actually just joining the ranks of ‘Don’t Look Up’ protestors, avoiding facing what’s really in front of us, which in turn means we’re avoiding being part of the solution to reverse climate change.”
Abi, Ecologi
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Using analogies to talk about climate change

The scenario in Don’t Look Up isn’t a perfect analogy for climate change. For starters, the threat of the comet strike is fundamentally different to that of climate change, and it’s important to understand this in order to draw useful learnings from the film.
In some ways, climate scientists and activists might wish that the threat of climate change could be observed as visually and immediately as a comet flying towards the Earth! The threat of the comet is clearly defined, and characters in the film can literally see it heading towards them (hence the title, Don’t Look Up). The impacts of climate change are much harder to distill into an image as compelling as an incoming comet &#8211; making it harder to encourage people to act immediately to avoid further loss and damage.
In the film, the scientists first observe the comet and its path to strike Earth with around 6 months’ notice before impact. In contrast, we’ve known about climate change and the role of humans in causing it <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/how-19th-century-scientists-predicted-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since the 1800s</a>, and only very recently have global leaders begun to take the threat seriously. Moreover, part of the problem we face with climate change is the idea that impacts are somewhere indeterminate in the future &#8211; and so the analogy of a comet striking the Earth isn’t perfect here.
The film also portrays political actors delaying action on the comet when it is discovered that there are apparent economic gains to be made by doing so. This satirises certain misguided arguments against climate mitigation, since combating climate change will in reality bring far <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/F_Green_Nationally_Self_Interested_Climate_Change_Mitigation.pdf">more benefits, including sustainable and long-term economic growth</a>, than an unwillingness to adapt. This dichotomy of pitting economic growth against solving the existential issue is a useful tool in the film, but in mapping it across to the reality of climate change it is imperfect, since the opportunity to develop a <a href="https://www.unep.org/regions/asia-and-pacific/regional-initiatives/supporting-resource-efficiency/green-economy">green economy</a>, still bringing some economic growth but prioritising planetary and human health over economic gain, genuinely presents countless new jobs and opportunities, and mitigates further climate risks.

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What is clear is that Don’t Look Up has opened many people’s eyes to the reality of climate inaction. Its viewership tells us that!
The film draws attention to the importance of not ignoring things that scare us, and by doing so has helped to start conversations about climate change that may not otherwise have taken place. 
“I have had conversations with friends and family about climate change for the first time because they watched ‘Don’t Look Up’. That has been the biggest win for me from the movie, it has encouraged discussion among people who are at various stages of their journey in taking climate action.”
Paula, Ecologi
By talking about climate change, and finding new ways of communicating about it, we begin a journey from thoughts to action, helping those struggling to come to terms with climate change to take meaningful action. And for those already working hard to do their part in the fight against climate change, the film strengthened their resolve to continue that work. Alex, one of our Senior Developers, said the film had made him “more determined to push harder on everything that is possible for me to do personally to help with the climate crisis”.
We need to bring along as many people as we can in our mission to combat climate change, and a simple conversation sparked by a film such as Don’t Look Up can lead to a lifetime of climate action. To that end, however imperfect the analogy is, and however challenging the content is, media like this is crucial in our drive to restore the planet.
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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

In Depth

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Just as we make sure all our reforestation projects are designed in a way that is most beneficial to our planet, our other terrestrial restoration projects need to be of the highest quality too. Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife projects have the potential to provide vital support to a wide array of species, boosting local, national and international biodiversity, as well as being an important and secure carbon store. But for these benefits to come to fruition the projects must be implemented properly, in line with best practices.
We know you might have some questions about this new type of project, so we’ve put together answers to some FAQs to help you learn more about our Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife project.

Your questions answered

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Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

Before and after: This is how your Ecologi impact is transforming landscapes and lives.

We love a before and after shot at Ecologi. They&#8217;re an incredible way to show the impact of the projects supported by our community. Whether it’s deforested land turning back to verdant green, or solar projects springing to life, sometimes two simple images are worth a thousand words.
On this blog you’ll find snapshot images that paint pictures of the difference our supported climate projects are making, all around the world. Thank you to our community for making it all possible! 
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📍 Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco
⌛ Dates: 2015 –2020
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
🌳 Type: Solar energy

Morocco

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From a bare area of desert to a haven of clean energy. The Ouarzazate II solar project is a major milestone in Morocco&#8217;s journey towards a clean energy future. It is one of the largest concentrated solar power plants in the world and is expected to supply around 500 GWh per year to Morocco’s power grid.
The project uses thousands of concave mirrors to concentrate solar energy and generate electricity, which can be stored for up to 7 hours. This allows the project to continue generating electricity even after the sun sets.
The Ouarzazate II solar project supplies electricity to nearly 2 million Moroccans and will prevent emissions equivalent to 300,544 tCO2e per year over its 10 year crediting period. The project has also created around 7,000 local jobs and incorporated co-projects that promote the creation of cooperatives, educational opportunities, and skills training.
Learn more about this<a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/morocco-solar"> project</a>.

📍 Location: Brodoclea, North Ayrshire, Scotland
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2021
🌱 Project: Future Forest Company
🌳 Type: Temperate reforestation

Scotland

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Nestled in North Ayrshire, Brodoclea is a sprawling 174-hectare haven of broadleaf woodland that plays host to woolly pigs, the incredible ecological restoration engineers! 
Under <a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com/">The Future Forest Company</a>&#8216;s guidance, these pigs awaken the soil seed bank, nourish soil microbiology, create space for sapling growth, reduce competition, and form pondlets for breeding amphibians and invertebrates. This enriches the ecosystem, offering sustenance for birds and materials for nests. 
Since 2018, the Ecologi community has helped make a significant impact on this site, funding the planting of 56,170 trees, with a focus on native broadleaf species including oak and birch, creating important habitat for local invertebrate and bird species.

📍 Location: Belavenika, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

Madagascar

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Madagascar’s mangroves are amazing habitats that, sadly, have been deforested over the years and become degraded. This project is one of three currently being supported by the Ecologi community that are replanting mangroves in Madagascar to bring benefits to local biodiversity and communities.
Creating new sustainable income streams for local people is a key component of the project, as is female empowerment. The project employs an average of 85 people per month, with female employees making up approximately 37.5% of the workforce in 2022.
As a result of their involvement in this project, local people are now able to purchase more nutritious food, leading to improved health, and can afford to send their children to school.
To date, the Ecologi community has funded 7.9 million trees on this site in north-west Madagascar.
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📍 Location: Marotaola, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

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This was the very first project we supported, so it holds a special place in our hearts. Seeing its progress over the last four years has brought us so much joy! 
Native mangrove species are being planted on this site, including Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, and Ceriops tagal. To date, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of over 10 million trees here, and there’s room for another million. 
This site is particularly fascinating as the mangroves are only separated from the open ocean by a thin strip of sand about 100m wide. Despite being more exposed to the ocean, mangroves that have successfully become established are growing well, creating an important habitat for coastal biodiversity and protecting the coastline from erosion by the waves.
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📍 Location: Vĩnh Hảo, Tuy Phong District, Bình Thuận, Vietnam
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2023
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
☀️ Type: Solar

Vietnam

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Vietnam&#8217;s demand for energy has been rising sharply since the 1990s, and it’s a demand that the country has struggled to fulfil, with an overreliance on coal and frequent power outages.
This project, in the Vinh Hao commune, Vietnam, is generating electricity using photovoltaic technology, which transforms sunlight into electricity. The project is on around 60ha of salt farm, and will generate 83,750MWh of power annually.
Local people have been involved throughout the design phase and operation of the project. The construction process of the project was carefully managed to minimise the impact on the local environment. During the operation of the project, pollution will also be minimised through a series of measures, including ensuring no littering takes place, and waste materials will be responsibly disposed of off-site.
Over the 10-year crediting period, the project will prevent 704,110tCO2e from being emitted by replacing energy in the grid that would otherwise have come from fossil fuels.
The project has given a real boost to the living standards of local communities through economic support funds: the commune gratitude fund in the Vinh Hao commune, and the learning promotion fund in the Binh Thuan province.
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📍 Location: Mount Elgon, Uganda. 
⌛ Dates: 2021 – 2023
🌱 Project: Trees for the Future
🌳 Type: Reforestation and sustainable agroforestry

Uganda

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Trees for the Future’s innovative Forest Gardens approach is all about engaging farmers in reforestation and sustainable agroforestry. The farmers take part in a 4-year programme, learning the skills they need to better manage their land. This brings multiple benefits, including protected crops, stabilised soils, and habitats for pollinators, as well as increasing household incomes.
Over the past two years, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of 766,663 trees in Forest Gardens through this project. Three hundred farmers (57% of whom are women) are involved, with 3,522 people benefitting from the project so far. 
Pictured is 56-year-old Philister Khana, a farmer enrolled in the programme. In just two years she’s taken the number of trees on her plot from 4 to 2,001!
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‘Don’t Look Up’ : Our take on the movie

Hitting close to home

Power and popularity

Human reactions to the crisis

Using analogies to talk about climate change

Starting conversations

More posts

Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

Your questions answered about our Wildflowers, Wetlands and Wildlife project

Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

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