05/08/2026
Celebrating the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough today. His contributions to documenting and sharing the wonder and splendor of the natural world are incalculable. His distinctive voice is an integral part of many people’s childhood, including mine. His ‘Life on Earth’ series on PBS in the early 1980s is where my love of Nature began. The entire planet, and our awareness of, is richer and more connected because of his incredible work.
This is not just lip-service. The “Attenborough Effect” is a measured outcome of his efforts. After his “Blue Planet II” series premiered on BBC/Netflix in 2017/2018, there was a significant reduction in plastic consumption and increase in recycling behavior, up to 88% in surveyed viewers*. This change in collective pro-environmental behavior is profound, and likely only one of the many ways viewers have adjusted their ecological relationships.
There is also a personal dimension. Decades of research show that watching nature-based videos (including documentaries) improves physical and mental health — stress hormones, blood pressure, mood, concentration, creativity, and vitality among them. In an era of eco-anxiety, solastalgia, shifting baseline syndrome and nature deficit disorder, that has substantial value.
I always encourage patients, colleagues, and friends to find some way to connect with the natural world. Watching one of Sir David's documentaries is one of the most accessible — and most beautiful — ways to do that. A reminder they are all freely available at places like BBC Earth, PBS.org, National Geographic channel, and Netflix. Something like Our Planet is a good place to start, but really any of them are fantastic. They are always visually & emotionally moving and help reconnect us to what really matters in this world.
Hoping current and future generations continue to experience his awe-inspiring work.
🙏🐌🦋🐒🐍🦀🦑🦓🦜🦚🦦🌳🌎🎂🎊🎉
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HmmPDLCbS/
