Since 1970, Americans have come together year after year on April 22 to celebrate Earth. While the methods of celebrating Earth Day have evolved over time, the core message remains unchanged: to protect our planet. In celebration of Earth Day, we are thrilled to present special programming throughout the month that delves into climate change from a variety of perspectives, highlighting its impact on both the nation and the planet.
Watch Monday, April 1 at 9 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Introduced by actor and environmentalist Ted Danson, We’re All Plastic People Now investigates the hidden story of plastic and its effects on human health. In an era of throw-away ease, convenience has cost us our well-being. We’re All Plastic People Now asks the question, how much evidence do we need before we decide to take action?
Independent Lens: A Thousand Pines
Watch Monday, April 1 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Over the course of a grueling eight months, a crew of Oaxacan guest workers plant trees throughout the United States. This intimate portrait shows how hard it is to balance the physical demands of reforestation and extreme isolation while staying connected to the family back home.
Watch Thursday, April 11 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
A visually stunning celebration of our spectacular starry skies above the world’s largest designated Dark Sky sanctuary. Ojibwe, Dakota cultural astronomers and other experts share the wonders of the heavens. The documentary, which was co-produced with Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education, also illuminates ways we can reduce the negative impacts of light pollution.
Power of the River: Expedition to the Heart of Water in Bhutan
Watch Monday, April 15 at 9 p.m. on WCNY-TV
An adventure from Bhutan-the last Himalayan kingdom and home to the world’s most ambitious commitment to protect nature, Bhutan faces urgent pressure to dam every river. An expedition guided by locals seeks to reveal the true worth of the wild.
Planet California: Rivers of Gold
Watch Monday, April 15 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
It is a land of extremes – tallest, deepest, highest, hottest. And home to the richest biodiversity in the Americas, from gray whales traveling the California Current to mountain lions in the Sierra Nevada and redwoods harvesting water from the air. In a rapidly changing and thirsty world, drought, dams and fire pose dire threats to an ecosystem connected by rivers on land, air and sea.
Watch Thursday, April 18 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Not far from the North Pole, a research team sets out to measure the world’s largest and oldest sea ice floes. Steve is an expedition leader who has led projects in the High Arctic for 40 years. Chris is a polar oceanographer who studies ice floes from a Harvard lab. They know the data, but nothing has prepared them for the truth on the ground. Caught in a frozen maelstrom, something has to give.
American Experience: Poisoned Ground—The Tragedy at Love Canal
Watch Monday, April 22 at 9 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Revisit the story of the 1970s Love Canal disaster, one of the most notorious environmental and public health disasters in U.S. history. The battle for justice, led mostly by women, created the basis for the landmark federal Superfund program.
Changing Planet: Coral Special
Watch Wednesday, April 24 at 8 p.m. on WCNY-TV
In the third year of this 7-year project examining the issues facing the planet’s most threatened ecosystems, Dr. M. Sanjayan visits the Maldives to take an in-depth look at coral reefs and the urgent efforts to help them survive climate change.
Classical music composers have long been inspired by the world around them. From Vivaldi’s Cuckoo Concerto to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony and Respighi’s The Birds, composers have sought to express nature in music. More recently that inspiration has also been tempered by a concern for our environment.
“Earthscape,” Classic FM’s Earth Day special, offers a selection of musical works that celebrate our planet. The program derives its name from David Marlatt’s composition, which was inspired by the awe-inspiring view of Earth from space. Additionally featured are “Three Passions for our Tortured Planet” by Brian Field, “Cantus Arcticus” by Einojuhani Rautavaara, and selections from Christopher Tin’s 2023 Grammy-nominated work “The Lost Birds.”
Join host Adam Fine as he takes listeners on an inspiring journey through nature on Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., only on Classic FM.
Scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun. Though undercut and thwarted by her male colleagues, she persevered to design the first successfully solar-heated house in 1948 and held more than 20 patents.
A story of hope in troubling times. The discovery of a coral reef in Belize and Guatemala, larger than the size of Manhattan, marks a new chapter in understanding corals and fish that depend on each other and in saving coral reefs worldwide.
As extreme weather in the U.S. impacts more people – with longer heat waves, more intense rainstorms, megafires, and droughts – discover how Americans are fighting back by marshaling ancient wisdom and innovating new solutions.
