2020 has been showing us that the world needs help. Humanity was surprised by a pandemic that it’s been affecting plenty of areas, from public health to economics. Not only has the spread of a new virus been hitting us hard, but also natural disasters such as aggressive tropical storms and forest fires are devastating cities, communities and natural beauties in the whole world. It is time for us to help Mother Nature, and Zac Efron wants to spread this message.
Far from the characters we’re used to and out of Hollywood’s spotlights, the actor stars in the documentary series Down To Earth, available on Netflix. In the role of presenter and producer, Efron explores different countries and cultures with his friend Darin Olien.
- The Documentary
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Olien is a nutritionist and superfood expert, and the author of “SuperLife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome”, a health-and-lifestyle guide for those who are seeking for a better way of life not only for their bodies, but also for the nature. His more natural and conscient lifestyle was one of the reasons Efron decided to go on a journey of self discovery and search for happiness far from the life of acting.
From the Americas to Iceland, each episode presents a different subject about how human actions are affecting the environment. Not only this, but also we are able to discover solutions that already exist, or are being created, to minimize the negative effects. From religion to biology, the series gives us an overview about how massive our destruction potential is. Watching it is like being hit by a mix of emotions: shock, sadness, revolt and the feeling of being a tiny part of Earth. And that’s totally true, but we’re all branches of the same tree in a way and the planet needs to be cared for.
Have you ever thought about the secret of longevity in Sardinia, one of the cities that has the biggest concentration of elderly people in the world? Or about how the slow extinction of bees is harming and threatening for human lives? Or even how a war can easily destroy every form of food we know, and only a protected biological heritage of potatoes might be the key for our survival? I’ve never had these thoughts until being in contact with Down To Earth. In a sensitive and at the same time mesmerizing way, each story made me think outside of the box and got me to realize that we need to take urgent action. I mean: why keep bowling when we could be playing jazz?
What I find more interesting about this new Zac Efron facet is that watching him is like looking myself in the mirror. Darin is a veteran in a health and sustainable lifestyle, so he has some knowledge about what’s going on with Mother Earth. But that’s a whole new world for Efron. His emotions are so pure that we can connect to him in some way. From the TV, I could feel his mixed feelings through my mind.
All I can say is: when will season two be launched?
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The article above was edited by Laura Ferrazzano.
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