Nerds That Geek Documentary Review: ‘The Year Earth Changed’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains some spoilers for the short documentary film, ‘The Year Earth Changed’.

If there is one thing that each and every one of us can agree upon, it would have to be that 2020 was a humbling year for humanity. Simply because, we truly came to understand just how little control we have over this world, since we, the supposed masters of this world, were forced indoors by a microscopic and powerful virus. But while that definitely gave us pause and time to mourn those, we’ve lost along the way… there are silver linings to be found in this historic event. For so many realized that this pandemic might serve as a wake-up call and a second chance, the kind that might allow for people to finally go after big goals now that the world hammered home the point, that life is short and fleeting. But while we wait to see the fruits of that particular brand of mental labor, there are other wonders that came out of this disaster for us to celebrate… the kind that we haven’t necessarily seen first-hand.

After all, we’ve been home with our loved ones for a year, making it hard to watch how the planet has changed in our absence. But thankfully, AppleTV+ put a crew out into the world while the rest of us pondered upon tomorrow from the safety of our homes, and in doing so, they were able to put together a documentary entitled The Year Earth Changed, and well… what this documentary captured is both moving and powerful. For it turns out that stepping away from our normal habits impacted the planet in ways we never thought possible, for it allowed the planet and the wildlife we share it with, to take a deep breath and heal and thrive. For example, this documentary informs us… that carbon emissions and pollution dropped in the past year, to the point where mountain ranges that haven’t been seen in ages are visible again and of course… the skies are clearer than they’ve been in ages.

As for how wildlife is thriving, well, the humpback whales that make it to Alaska as part of their migration pattern, are able to spread out without fear of running into noisy boats. And that is motivating them to sing and communicate like never before and that’s helping their young grow up in a healthy manner and the wonder of that… is happening all over the world. For penguins in South Africa that normally have to wait for people to leave the beaches before feeding their young, can now feed them as they please and for that matter… sea turtles that once avoided certain beaches because we were there, are returning home to breed. Giving a boost to their numbers for the first time in decades. If anything, this documentary does a phenomenal job of showing us just how much impact we have upon the natural world. Which is a sobering fact to face… one that should be remorseful but becomes hopeful, thanks to some interesting thoughts posed by this tale.

In that, hitting the pause button for humanity, allowed for scientists to learn that not only are we having an incredible impact upon our world and the beautiful creatures we share it with, but that we can make a greater impact in saving our world from climate change and extinction events than we ever knew. Because if emissions were able to drop this quickly, and if we come out of the pandemic and genuinely apply ourselves to fixing our carbon footprint, we could easily make incredible strides in reversing the warmth we created. Plus, with a little care and a little change to our habits, we could also help wildlife thrive in new ways, since our absence at certain times of day, would allow for animals to do what is embedded in their DNA in peace and solitude, so that more generations of these majestic creatures can find their way in the world and be seen and celebrated by generations to come. But most important of all, this documentary puts an incredible truth about the pandemic on full display.

In that, modern humanity is being granted an incredible gift here. Because the Covid-19 pandemic could have been far more devastating than it currently is/was, but thanks to our interconnected nature and ability to get information out quickly, we likely did a lot right, the reality of which won’t be realized for some time. But we cannot squander that gift, by returning to old habits as though nothing ever changed. Instead, we need to take that same self-inflection about changing our own paths and turn it toward society and the environment. For we really could come out of this and make a difference for a change, and all we have to do… is apply ourselves toward a better tomorrow. And while that is of course, easier said and the done, the more people that believe it and live it and express it, the sooner it becomes a true mantra and the sooner we can enact genuine change… all because a tiny virus reminded us that we are merely tenants here, and it would behoove us to treat our home with a little more care. 

‘The Year Earth Changed’ will be available to stream on AppleTV+ on 4/16/21.

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