Where Is Your Favorite Body of Water?

This summer, people around the world have gathered at their favorite oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams, cooling off and immersing themselves in nature.

“Beauty is nature’s tool for survival, because we protect what we love,” says Louie Schwartzberg, the filmmaker behind Fantastic Fungi. Through his work at Moving Art, he has created many powerful short films to encourage humanity to defend our waterways and keep our water pure. 

August is National Water Quality Awareness Month. To celebrate, we are gathering some beautiful short films from Louie’s Moving Art archive.

Protect What You Love

“We need to protect the water today, because the longer we wait, the sicker the plants and animals get. If we wait until tomorrow or the next day, the water won’t be the same as that day,” said Autumn Peltier, a Canadian Native American water warrior who has fought for water protection and conservation since the age of eight. 

In 2008 she spoke to the United Nations in New York, declaring, “Water is the lifeblood of Mother Earth. Our water should not be for sale. We all have a right to this water as we need it.”

Moving Art viewers from around the world shared the waterways they want to protect. Read their suggestions and add your own!

skrootoo “The upper Adirondacks where the Hudson is still clean enough to drink and my own local pine barrens.”

Lori Chaission Grogan wants to protect the river by her home: “As an artist, living on a river you have given me joy my birthday month. I am forever in awe of the movement of water showing us the lesson of present time.” 

Terran Ambrosone: “I often play the Moving Art series on Netflix on my tablet to fall asleep to. And will play it during the day for my birds. They love it too. Favorites are the forest and underwater ones.”

Lindsey Scott: “Oceans season 1. Can’t count how many times I’ve watched to go to sleep. And put my kids to sleep.”

Monique Navarrette agrees: “I love the waterfalls, they’re so relaxing.”  

Jess Wink added this: “I love the waterfalls segment!”

Miller Canning: “I live in Baja California. As I’m sure you are aware, Tijuana dumps it’s polluted water into the ocean every night. The smell is horrible. And it is destroying the environment around Playas de Tijuana as well Imperial Beach in California. No one seems to have a solution. Our waters here need help!”

pavel_k_novy “So true, thank you for sharing your inspiring videos Louie. My favourite forest is an ancient rainforest of the Pacific North West, specifically on a central coast of British Columbia.”