Disclaimer: I don’t encourage having a subscription to Netflix as there is so much to see and do besides watching shows. However, I do recommend using Netflix as a tool to learn and educate yourself through documentaries including the ones below!
1. Minimalism: I used to be the girl who went shopping online once a week and always had the biggest wardrobe out of all of my friends. However, when I was abroad, I realized I didn’t need all that “stuff” as I found myself wearing the same jeans and white t-shirt multiple times a week. During this time, I was experiencing more to life than I had ever experienced, and through all of these experiences, I realized that all my “stuff” no longer made me happy. In fact, all along it was actually giving me a false sense of happiness and fulfillment. After this realization, I began making small changes to my lifestyle. However, it wasn’t until after watching Minimalism that I made a drastic change. I went through EVERY item that I owned, and truly thought about its use in my life. I sold and donated about 2/3 of my belongings. Now I feel like I can focus on what really matters in my life. That’s the beauty and power of this documentary.
2. The True Cost: If you’re interested in fashion, this documentary will open your eyes to the dark sides of the industry. This documentary exposes what happens behind the scenes of fast fashion companies, the part companies don’t want you to see including production, labor, and even environmental costs. For me, the most shocking scene was seeing a factory-working mother having to send her child off to another city to be cared for so she can work long hours in a fast fashion factory. Warning: this documentary will make you think twice about buying a $10 shirt from H&M again.
Let me know if you watch either of these documentaries and your thoughts on them! If you want any other suggestions, I recommend A Plastic Ocean and Chasing Coral!