Regenerating Life

Regenerating Life takes an ecological approach to unpacking the social and environmental crises that confront us, shifting the prevailing climate change story, and offering new, attainable solutions.

Regenerating Life explores the idea that the climate and temperature of our planet are regulated by the system of life (the biosphere). By destroying the biosphere, we have caused the climate crisis. The destruction of the living soil through industrial agriculture, the destruction of forests, the destruction of the small water cycle — all of which result in bare, dry land — and the mining and burning of fossil fuels are all a part of the problem. Regenerating ecosystems, especially forests, fields, and wetlands, and covering the land with plants, will reduce the greenhouse effect, cool the planet, bring back fresh water, supply healthy food, and help us build our own healthy communities.

The documentary is in three parts:

Water Cools the Planet
Life Sustains the Climate
Small Farms Feed the World

If we broaden our horizons and look in terms of hundreds of years, the time it might take to regrow a sustainable forest, for example, then we begin to see the scope of the task – and at times it seems overwhelming – but we have to remember that each year, each day, will see improvements. It’s a healing process.

“John Feldman’s film Regenerating Life places the Climate Crisis squarely in the biosphere, where it has always belonged.” – James Shapiro, Prof. Emeritus, Univ. of Chicago

“An important/crucial wake up call for received ecological wisdom, including the causes of climate change.” – Dorion Sagan, co-author of Gaia and Philosophy

“A powerfully engaging film that has the potential to radically shift our conventional, reductionist approaches to climate change that treats the problem only symptomatically. Feldman brings engrossing explanations of the root causes of our climate crisis. The narrative showcases deep conversations with scientists, ecologists, farmers, and activists around the world looking for holistic solutions through regenerative agriculture as an ‘existential necessity’ and people’s community efforts. The film will initiate vibrant discussions for students, policy makers, scientists, community organizers, and anyone interested in finding simple, tangible solutions to a global crisis that could ensure justice, equality, and freedom for all.” Bidisha Mallik, Assistant Teaching Professor of Global Ethics, University of Washington-Tacoma

“A very compelling lesson – that Nature can help us solve our climate problems if we give her a chance – is embedded throughout this remarkable film. The solution lies not in any expansion of industrial agriculture or Green Revolutions, but rather in nurturing small local farming communities by which most of global food is grown more productively than by any of these corporate farms. Nature’s solution is to readily regenerate and protect our lands and soils. Regenerating Life unfolds a complex, multidimensional story in an accessible way.” – Fred Jennings, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate

“If you are environmentally conscious but harbor doubts about the current global warming narrative, Regenerating Life is an axis-shifting film that re-frames this complex issue.” – Perry Marshall, Author of Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design

“It’s a film of affirmation. And what it affirms, over and over, is life, not only the wonder of it but the power of it to heal our broken climate… Feldman is surely awed. You may well be too. It’s something you can only see through discovery, and now you have this calm and generous film to help you with that.” – Rob Lewis, author The Silence of Vanishing Things and the newsletter The Climate According to Life (Read the whole review on Rob Lewis’ sub stack)

“Climate change is a complex issue, rooted in the unsustainable practices of modern society and the neglect of traditional ecological knowledge. Regenerating Life explores how the restoration of soil can lead to a healthier ecosystem. By shifting from destructive extraction (capitalism) to nurturing regeneration and embracing the knowledge and practices of indigenous and local communities, the documentary illustrates a hopeful path towards environmental recovery.” Dr. J. Pablo Ortiz-Partida, Senior Bilingual Climate and Water Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists

“This film encourages you to take a step back from what is commonly accepted as the singular cause of climate change and view our world more holistically, reminding us how connected we are to our natural environment, regardless of our lifestyle. From the food in your kitchen to how you see the landscape, you will leave with better questions to ask in terms of how we can sustain ourselves as humans on this planet. You may also get the urge to hug a farmer.” – Jesse Reynolds, AICP, Professional Land Use Planner, Seattle, WA

“With stunning photography, incisive interviews, humor and humanity, ecological filmmaker John Feldman’s Regenerating Life makes a vivid and provocative case for a more nuanced and effective understanding of climate change. Across the planet, concrete, asphalt, dead land, and bare ground now bake in the sun rather than absorb solar heat into cool and moist natural growth. For centuries now, human practices accelerated by colonialism and capitalism have been destroying the buffering and recycling provided by rich biodiverse landscapes. Feldman’s documentary showcases and celebrates an active network of farmers and land restorers, who are bringing damaged portions of the biosphere back to life. They are — Regenerating Life.” – Bruce Clarke, Paul Whitfield Horn Professor of Literature and Science, Texas Tech University

John Feldman’s film is a masterpiece in which he puts life, in terms of healthy ecosystems, centre-stage as the Earth’s extraordinary global-temperature regulator. Through a succession of fascinating encounters with a wide spectrum of people, including activists, scientists and inspired thinkers, like Satish Kumar, biodiversity campaigner Adam Sacks and Vandana Shiva, he makes the case that the now, almost obsessive, concern over carbon dioxide emissions and fossil fuels, however valid as adding to global temperature, is taking us away from the prime cause of the climate crisis, which is none other than the horrendous destruction of entire ecosystems, in particular through the capitalisation and industrialisation of agriculture in which soil becomes little more than a medium to hold a crop-monoculture that has been made genetically-resistant to the weed-killing poisons, like glyphosate (Round-Up), which are routinely applied.

The depressing message of where we stand in relation to the horrifying and ever-continuing destruction of nature is tempered by some inspiring stories of regeneration, for instance wonderfully-diverse gardens created out of wastelands, or man-made deserts again made to bloom. In conclusion, Regenerating Life, 2-hours long of absorbing images, is a wake-up call for action to save the planet and ourselves from needless destruction. Peter Bunyard, FLS, author of Extreme Weather: The Cataclysmic Effects of Climate Change

“For a long time, the dominant narrative regarding the cause of climate change has been the simplistic assertion that the rise in CO2 in the atmosphere is the key causative agent. Yet many scientists and others around the world are telling a different story: a story about how water through its various phases is the prime determiner of climate variation. Regenerating Life is not only a timely, but also an exceedingly important and courageous contribution to the understanding of climate change. The director, John Feldman, gives voice to scientists, farmers, activists and others whose deep understanding of the interconnectedness of water use, soil fertility, farming methods, and land use will help us get beyond the simplistic, divisive climate change debate that has gone on for far too long.” — Daniel Seitz, JD, EdD, Former public member of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board

“Regenerating Life offers a fresh take on the global climate crisis, and on nature-based solutions that can revitalize our human and natural communities. The film shows how, by working with and within the Earth’s interconnected biological systems, we may simultaneously enhance climate resilience, restore biodiversity, and foster community health and well-being.” Curt Meine, Senior Fellow, Aldo Leopold Foundation and Center for Humans and Nature, Author, Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work

“I just have to say: I am WOWED! I really love the story told throughout Regenerating Life, setting up the limitations of the current climate change-emissions narrative, explaining the hydrological cycle in conjunction with soil health, and then showing how regenerative ag can make a huge impact. The issue is so much more complex than sound bites want to make it seem; however, instead of making the problem appear overwhelming, I like how we are guided through a solution that addresses multiple prongs of the climate change issue. As a community educator who routinely engages the public on climate change and how to deal with the big, tough emotions it can cause, I love how this film both informs and empowers viewers.” – Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist, RebeccaLexa.com

“A necessary and important film that highlights the importance of small food producers as possibly the most powerful counter to the climate crisis. Regenerating Life counters our narratives of despair and hopelessness and illustrates the numerous, diverse and exciting collaborative solutions being worked out the world over.” Paul Stock, Associate Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies, University of Kansas, Author, New Farmers