My Favorite YouTube Channels
My Favorite YouTube Channels
The following is a list of my favorite YouTube channels. Some of these I’ve been following for nearly a decade and others I’ve come across and gained an appreciation for just recently. These channels cover a far range of topics. Some will cover the pressing issues of our time, others will help you to live a happier and healthier life, others focus on social justice. That is just to name a few of the common threads in these channels. Although there is certainly education on the problems we face today, these channels are here primarily to help you become part of the solution and lead the way into a more sustainable, equitable and just world.
(Note: the descriptions are all copied from their description on YouTube.)
Happen Films
“Documentary films about sustainability, tiny houses, permaculture, natural building, and more. We chose film because we believe it’s the most powerful way to share these ideas. We also love making films, and love that the process – the people we meet, the research we do, the conversations we have, the stories we get to share – brings us so much hope to offset the grief we feel about what’s been happening to our world. Through film we can share that hope, with the aim of inspiring change in people’s lives and creating a better world.”
Exploring Alternatives
“We want Exploring Alternatives to be a hub of alternative living video content that will inform and inspire you. Each week, we post a new video about people who are living in tiny houses, vans, RVs, and boats; and people who are exploring long-term travel, minimalism, zero waste living, off-grid living, and more. We also sometimes share videos about our own lifestyle experiments.”
Kirsten Dirksen
“Videos about simple living, self-sufficiency, small (and tiny) homes, backyard gardens (and livestock), alternative transport, DIY, craftsmanship and philosophies of life.”
Epic Gardening
“Learn urban gardening so you can grow fresh food year round – no matter where you live! We also cover the cool stuff going on in the hydroponics, aquaponics and gardening communities.”
The Story of Stuff Project
“The Story of Stuff Project is changing the way we make, use, and throw away Stuff so that we have a happier and healthier planet. Visit us at www.storyofstuff.org for more information.”
Green Dreamer with Kamea Chayne
“If we’re headed down a path that’s leading us to ecological degradation, dehumanization, and disconnection from the things that matter most, simultaneously endangering our earth’s clean water, clean air, and biodiversity, then we must ask boldly: What for?
In the midst of the uncertainty, it’s become crystal clear that it’s time to redefine what it means to live a life of abundance, recalibrate our measurements of progress, and dream up the world that we do want to realize for our lifetimes and beyond.
Illuminating our paths to ecological regeneration, intersectional sustainability, and true abundance and wellness for all, Green Dreamer with Kamea Chayne is a podcast and multimedia journal for those who are yearning to live lives of vitality and fulfillment and who are dreaming of a thriving planet to call home.”
Bioneers
“Bioneers is an innovative nonprofit educational organization that highlights breakthrough solutions for restoring people and planet. Founded in 1990 in Santa Fe, New Mexico by social entrepreneurs Kenny Ausubel and Nina Simons, Bioneers has acted as a fertile hub of social and scientific innovators with practical and visionary solutions for the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges. A celebration of the genius of nature and human ingenuity, Bioneers connects people with breakthrough solutions and each other. Our acclaimed annual national and local conferences are complemented by extensive media outreach including an award-winning radio series, book series, and role in media projects such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The 11th Hour. Our programs further focus on Women’s Leadership, Indigenous Wisdom, Community Resilience Networks, and Leadership Development and Youth.”
Charles Eisenstein
“Charles Eisenstein is a teacher, speaker, and writer focusing on themes of civilization, consciousness, money, and human cultural evolution. His books (The Ascent of Humanity and Sacred Economics) as well as his other essays and blog posts on web magazines have generated a vast online following; he speaks frequently at conferences and other events, and gives numerous interviews on radio and podcasts. Writing in Ode magazine’s “25 Intelligent Optimists” issue, David Korten (author of When Corporations Rule the World) called Eisenstein “one of the up-and-coming great minds of our time.”
Rising Appalachia
“The video work of folk-music sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, and their beloved band, that merges global influences with their own southern roots to create inviting new sounds.”
Heal Your Living
“Mindfulness, Sustainability, Minimalism, and Wellness.”
Pete Kanaris GreenDreamsFL
“Growing food free from toxins Agricultural methods that regenerate soil life Restoring Our Ecosystems Advice from the experts to create new landscapes that feed the people + the land.”
“Whether you are growing food or just eating it, we have golden nuggets of knowledge & entertainment to offer to you 7 days a week. We are happy to highlight the diversity of food crops you can grow in Florida & beyond… between the many fruits, veggies, herbs & spices – we won’t run out of footage from our 12-acre holistic farm & our friendly field trip visits to introduce our grower friends around the state. Our professional background in organic groves & ecological landscapes gives us the edge to be able to share lots of tips, tricks & inspiration for just about anything to do with alternative agriculture. No chemicals? No irrigation? No problem. We hope you subscribe & share the love of good, clean & diverse Florida-grown food!”
Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens
“Growing Your Greens is the most watched gardening show on youtube. It’s a fun and enlightening show on how to grow food at your home and beyond. John provides you with tips and tricks as well as shares his experiences growing food at his urban homestead. John is dedicated to helping you sustainably grow the highest quality fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and other edible foods in your front yard and beyond. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up with all the latest episodes.”
Huw Richards – Grow Food Organically
“For the past 15 years, I have been growing food in my family’s vegetable garden following organic and sustainable principles. I am now on a mission to help as many people as possible to grow their own food inexpensively. It is such a fun and rewarding process which I hope everyone can experience. Growing food involves so many fun activities which can be as easy as you want. There is nothing better than harvesting some of your own homegrown produce.”
Tiny House Giant Journey
“Hi, I’m Jenna Spesard. I built and live in a Tiny House to free up my finances so that I can travel the world! On this YouTube channel, I share Alternative dwellings, lifestyle videos, unique and tiny vacation rentals, and my travel adventures around the planet. My story has been featured on HGTV, Travel Channel, the Huffington Post, USA Today, and many more! ”
Living Big In A Tiny House
“My name is Bryce, and I’m passionate about small space design. Join me on my travels as I journey to find the very best tiny homes, alternative dwellings and stories of downsized, eco-friendly living. I’m not just watching from the side-lines though! I also get stuck in with my own small space builds. Thanks for stopping by my channel, make sure you subscribe and come along for the ride!”
Urban Farmer Curtis Stone
“The Urban Farmer is all about urban farming. We don’t just talk about urban farming, we actually make our living at it. Curtis Stone is the owner of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm based out of Kelowna, BC Canada. Follow us as we take you on a tour of our farm, what we grow, how we sell it, and demonstrate best practices in the real world of commercial urban agriculture.”
Mountain Rose Herbs
“Purveyor of the highest quality organically grown herbs and spices, teas, essential oils, & botanical goods. Subscribe for some of our favorite herbally inspired recipes, DIY tutorials, and behind-the-scenes videos.”
Equal Justice Initiative
“EJI challenges poverty and racial injustice, advocates for fair and equal treatment in the criminal justice system, and creates hope for marginalized communities.”
ReWildUniversity
“To aid and inspire you on your personal re-wilding journey, ReWild University brings you videos on edible wild plants, tree climbing, natural movement, ancestral skills, and much much more!”
Green Renaissance
“All around us are ideas waiting to be passed along, ideas that encourage action and inspire change, ideas that need to be shared. We want to show what’s possible with a bit of collaboration and imagination. We want to show that ordinary people can be extraordinary. Let’s tell stories, share ideas, inspire change and shape the world we want to live in.”
Trash is for Tossers
“Welcome to the Trash is for Tossers YouTube Page brought to you by Lauren Singer! Here you can find DIY recipes, Zero Waste tips, and sustainability tricks in order to live a waste-free or low-waste life. Check out www.trashisfortossers.com to learn more!”
Zero Waste Home
“A collection of videos about the lifestyle of blogger, Bea Johnson, who lives waste-free with her husband and two sons since 2008. The selection includes TV segments, how-to’s, podcasts, and a review of her book, Zero Waste Home (Zéro Déchet in french). She shows that Zero waste can not only be “stylish”, but also lead to significant health benefits, and time and money savings. Named “The Waste-Free Priestess” by the New York Times, she has appeared on TV shows and in publications around the world. She has become a “guru” and spokesperson for the zero waste lifestyle. Please visit ZeroWasteHome.com for more tips on waste-free living!”
Optimist
“From living in a tent in a Syrian refugee camp to working as radish farmers and surviving on one dollar a day in Guatemala, we are pioneering a new style of documentary film-making, using immersive storytelling to raise awareness and inspire action around pressing global issues. At Optimist, we make films with impact. ”
Kimi Werner
“Kimi is a freedive-spearfishing champion, a certified chef, an award-winning environmentalist—and a new mom! She’s now inviting you into her kitchen and backyard in Hawaii to learn fun recipes – most of which are foraged straight from the ocean and islands herself. Sprinkled with a dose of real life family time on top!”
The Sioux Chef
“We are a team of Anishinaabe, Mdewakanton Dakota, Navajo, Northern Cheyenne, Oglala Lakota, Wahpeton-Sisseton Dakota and are ever growing. We are chefs, ethnobotanists, food preservationists, adventurers, foragers, caterers, event planners, artists, musicians, food truckers and food lovers. We are committed to revitalizing Native US American Cuisine and in the process we are re-identifying North US American Cuisine and reclaiming an important culinary culture long buried and often inaccessible.”
Honor The Earth
“Honor the Earth is a Native-led organization, established by Winona LaDuke and Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, in 1993 to address the two primary needs of the Native environmental movement: the need to break the geographic and political isolation of Native communities and the need to increase financial resources for organizing and change. Winona continues to function as the Executive Director of Honor, and is available for speaking engagements, and consultations with tribes. As a unique national Native initiative, Honor the Earth works to a) raise public awareness and b) raise and direct funds to grassroots Native environmental groups. We are the only Native organization that provides both financial support and organizing support to Native environmental initiatives. This model is based on strategic analysis of what is needed to forge change in Indian country, and it is based deep in our communities, histories, and long-term struggles to protect the earth.”
Paul Stamets
“Saving the world, one hypha at a time. Permaculture, symbiosis, mutualism, astrobiology, network theory, old growth forests, time-space dimensions, martial arts, the inherent value of good.”
For The Wild
“For the Wild is an environmental non-profit focused on ecological restoration, bioregional research, and land conservation. Our YouTube is home to our various webinar series : Reactive Webinars + Sisters Bonded in Action For The Wild preserves and strengthens the integrity of Earth’s natural communities through land conservation and ecological restoration. Powered by community efforts and bioregional native plants nurseries, its work centers around the reforestation and diversification of degraded landscapes, informed by Traditional Ecological Knowledge. For The Wild conducts ecological research to improve restoration techniques and to adapt them to our rapidly changing climate and human landscape.”
Indigenous Environmental Network and Indigenous Rising
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
NationSwell
“NationSwell is a new digital media company focused on high-quality stories about US American renewal — about the new innovators, pioneers, and builders who are doing the most creative and impactful things to move the United States forward. We’re focused on identifying them, telling gripping stories about them, and mobilizing support behind them.”
Patagonia
“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. –Patagonia’s Mission Statement Patagonia grew out of a small company that made tools for climbers. Alpinism remains at the heart of a worldwide business that still makes clothes for climbing — as well as for skiing, snowboarding, surfing, fly fishing, paddling and trail running. These are all silent sports. None requires a motor; none delivers the cheers of a crowd. In each sport, reward comes in the form of hard-won grace and moments of connection between us and nature. Our values reflect those of a business started by a band of climbers and surfers, and the minimalist style they promoted. The approach we take towards product design demonstrates a bias for simplicity and utility.”
Pivot
“Pivot is a television network from Participant Media (Lincoln, Spotlight, CITIZENFOUR, Food Inc., An Inconvenient Truth) that is dedicated to delivering entertainment that inspires and compels social change. With award-winning original programming (Please Like Me, Fortitude, Hit Record on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt), groundbreaking documentaries and exceptional films, you won’t just be entertained – you’ll be inspired to become a part of the story. When you watch Pivot, we’ll give you the opportunity to take action on the issues raised in our content right from your screen or during the next commercial break. With Pivot, what you watch does make a difference.”
Russell Brand
“Everybody knows that the old ideas won’t help us. Religion is dead. Capitalism is dead. Communism is dead. Where will the answers of the next century lie? Particularly, when we’re facing a mental health epidemic and ecological melt down. On this channel my videos explore new ways to connect with ourselves and one another and how to elevate our consciousness. I post wellbeing and spirituality videos every Monday, Wednesday & Friday. And you can watch some of my Under The Skin podcast every Thursday!”
Tragedy & Hope
Tragedy & Hope is a YouTube channel dedicated to creating inspiring and thought provoking videos, that change the way people view themselves and the world around them.
Greenpeace
“Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action!”
VICE
VICE specializes in exploring uncomfortable truths and going to places we don’t belong. Herein you will find people talking frankly about their hatred and love for various things, general heresy, the only culture, travel and news documentaries you’ll want to watch, tons of exclusive new stuff, and probably not a lot of cats. You’re welcome.
We are Change
“News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising.” – Lord Northcliffe
Films For Action
“Films For Action hosts the largest collection of free films related to social change online. Started by a few friends in 2006, we’re a home-grown media project dedicated to empowering citizens with the information and perspectives essential to creating a more loving, just, sustainable, and democratic society. Over the years, this project has inspired and informed millions of people, and we hope to reach millions more, but since we went ad-free on the site in 2018, we now depend entirely on our supporters to keep us going.”
Brave New Films
“Brave New Films has created a quick-strike capability that informs the public, challenges corporate media with the truth, and motivates people to take action on social issues nationwide. You are critical to advancing these hard-hitting political campaigns. We can’t create a nation of socially conscious activists alone.”
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening
“I’m passionate about an approach to organic gardening that is frugal, easy, sustainable, and works with nature to achieve amazing results. My videos will help you grow more healthy organic fruits and vegetables, while working less and saving money. I don’t push gardening products. I don’t hype bogus “garden secrets”. I provide evidence based strategies to help you grow a lot of food on a little land without spending much or working harder than you have to!”
If you like the channels I’ve shared than you might like to subscribe to mine as well: Robin Greenfield.
Also check out these lists of resources that I recommend:
Facebook pages I recommend
People I recommend paying attention to
Nonprofits I recommend and support
23 films that changed my life
Healthy Music for a Healthy Life