A Study on Nature Documentaries Involving Environmental Conservation: Raising Awareness of The Environment Among College Students In Chennai, India—With A Special Reference To The Netflix Series 'Our Planet.’

Abstract

Netflix released ‘Our Planet, a popular environmental documentary. Sir David Attenborough narrates the English version, but 10 other languages had simultaneous releases with their narrators. This documentary stands out by comprehensively depicting current environmental challenges. The series examines eight rare ecosystems' biodiversity and features. Human impact on the environment distinguishes it from other traditional documentaries and it discusses how climate change affects all life. Our survival depends on nature. But the world is in more peril than ever. This documentary raised awareness of the world's rarest animals and most valuable habitats. This study examines how informed and influential college students in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, are about environmental issues including global warming. This study measures the impact of six factors that indicate people's views on environmental degradation. Dimensions produced via Schwartz norm activation were hope, connectivity to nature, shifting responsibility, etc., The documentary's impact on participants' opinions was assessed using a pre-test and post-test control group design. Due to the limited availability of video-on-demand providers with documentaries, participants were assigned based on OTT subscription availability. The findings suggest that the mere transmission of information without the use of storytelling and visual elements carries the danger of failing to capture attention and, thus, convey the intended message. While documentaries employing storytelling, imagery, and narrative techniques may not bridge the attitudinal and behavioral divide between a sustainable and unsustainable society, they can contribute toward a solution. Practitioners should create combinations of strategies that influence attitudes and behaviors to communicate the scientific consensus to the general community effectively.