Have you heard of WaterBear? Our Business of the Month is the first free video on demand platform dedicated to the future of our planet
We can’t remember now where we heard about WaterBear but it was earlier this year and we’re intrigued! Just like Netflix and other better known platforms, WaterBear gives members access to content to watch online, anywhere. Membership is free, and the content includes over 800 shorts and documentaries, many of which are award winners in their class.
The website describes WaterBear as ‘a big fan of documentaries, locally-told stories, NGO campaigns, on-the-ground grassroot outreach, volunteering, eco-travel, sustainable products and much more’ and also as a ‘A coalition of charity and business’.
Their 300 charity, project and campaign partners include Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, The Rainforest Alliance, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and many more. Sustainability is threaded through their work – not only are they sharing responsible content, they recognise the inherent energy needs of streaming, and have chosen to stream through Vimeo, which uses Akamai for their content delivery. WaterBear says, ‘Akamai has an impressive sustainability policy and uses renewable energy wherever possible.
Films available include:
RACING EXTINCTION – exposing the trafficking in wildlife and other crimes against nature in a race to protect all life from mass extinction
JUST EAT IT a food waste story from farm to fridge
CATCHING GIANTS – exploring the collaring and tracking of giraffes, as a way to support their safety
Not only do they stream films but they launch them. Asking, ‘Is it acceptable to kill animals for fashion?, SLAY by directors Rebecca Cappelli and Keegan Kuhn launches exclusively on WaterBear on the 8th September and exposes the animal suffering behind the glitz and the glamour of the fashion industry. We’ll be keeping an eye out for that one.
If you’re looking for something to watch that’s a little more thoughtful than your average streaming platform provides, we’d definitely recommend you check out WaterBear.
Disclaimer:There’s no sponsorship or cash involved in our Business of the Month feature, and in many cases the business doesn’t even know we are going to do this – they’ve certainly not asked to be promoted. We are simply writing about businesses we love.
