While most of us won’t be venturing out into the great outdoors this Earth Day, you can still celebrate our planet with a number of PBS programs right from the comfort of your own home. We’ve gathered a list of shows that are now streaming on the PBS App, and others that will be premiering throughout the month, that focus on our planet from a variety of different angles. From the science of the Earth to marvels of the natural world, we have a bunch of great programs for you to watch.
See the full line-up below!
The Science of Earth
H20: The Molecule that Made Us
Premieres Wednesday, April 22 at 9PM
H20: The Molecule that Made Us is a 3-part series that tells the human story through our relationship to water. We find out how our success is intimately connected to our control of the molecule, but that the growth of our civilizations has also created a dangerous dependence on a precious resource — one that may be about to run out.
NOVA: The Planets — Inner Worlds
The unique conditions for life as we know it only exist on Earth. But why only here? Were Earth’s neighbors always so extreme? And is there somewhere else in the solar system life might flourish? Explore Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars in The Planets — Inner Worlds.
Follow the Water
Traveling by bike, on foot and in a canoe, photographer Mike Forsberg and filmmaker Peter Stegen follow a mythical drop of water 1,300 miles through three states. Using their phones, Go-Pros, and underwater cameras, they share how it feels to get close to the flow of the water — to taste it, touch it, and struggle to understand it.
Environmental Policy and Investigation
Climate Change — The Facts
Premieres Wednesday, April 22 at 8PM
Join scientists as they explore the impact of climate change and what could happen if global warming exceeds an increase of 1.5 degrees. Discover how the latest innovations and technology are posing potential solutions and what individuals can do to prevent further damage.
FRONTLINE: Plastic Wars
Did the plastic industry use recycling to sell more plastic? With the plastic industry expanding like never before, and the crisis of ocean pollution growing, FRONTLINE and NPR investigate the fight over the future of plastics.
ViewFinder: Beyond the Brink — California’s Watershed
Examine the challenges facing the Sierra Nevada, California’s essential water source, and discover what is being done to address its uncertain future.
Sustainability and Food
American Experience: The Man Who Tried to Feed the World
The Man Who Tried to Feed the World recounts the story Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug. Discover the story of the man who would not only solve India’s famine problem, but would go on to lead a “Green Revolution” which is estimated to have saved one billion lives.
The Lexicon of Sustainability
The Lexicon of Sustainability is based on a simple premise: People can’t be expected to live more sustainable lives if they don’t even know the most basic terms and principles that define sustainability.
FRONTLINE: The Fish on My Plate
Join bestselling author and lifelong fisherman Paul Greenberg on his quest to investigate the health of the ocean and answer the question: “What fish should I eat that’s good for me and good for the planet?”
Animals and Nature
Nature: Spy in the Wild 2 – The Tropics
Premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 8PM
Everyone’s favorite animatronic spy creatures are back, and this time they infiltrate a flock of macaws, a nursery of red flying foxes, and the secret world of pygmy forest elephants in the premiere episode of Nature: Spy in the Wild 2.
NOVA: The Rise of Mammals
Sixty-six million years ago, an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs in a fiery global catastrophe. But we know little about how their successors, the mammals, recovered and took over the world. Join scientists as they unearth an astonishing trove of fossils that reveal a dramatic new picture of how rat-sized creatures began to evolve into a vast array of species.
Rob on the Road: Effie Yeaw Nature Center
Take a hike through this Northern California preserve where animals and nature are celebrated! Nestled along the banks of the American River, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center is filled with California native animals and sprawling paths to the flowing river, where you get a front row seat to the wild.