Former president Barack Obama is now on Netflix.
The politician (and beloved pop culture icon), who has long had an interest in nature and the environment, and fought to help decrease climate change, just released his new documentary series, Our Great National Parks. The show, which dropped yesterday, highlights the beauty, history, and science behind the world's greatest national parks, wild spaces, and wildlife.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama shared the news of her husband's new venture via Instagram. "Over the years, @BarackObama and I have been lucky enough to show our girls some of the magic of our world’s natural wonders. This time, Barack wants you to join in on the fun with his new @HigherGroundMedia show, Our Great National Parks, which is streaming now on Netflix," she captioned a carrousel of photos of the family enjoying the outdoors and participating in activities to help the planet.
"Whether you're visiting a national park or taking a walk around your neighborhood, there's so much out there to explore. We hope the show inspires you to take a trip outdoors. If you do, be sure to take part in the#WildForAll Challenge at WildForAll.org. Can't wait to hear all about it! 🌍," Michelle added.
The Wild for All Challenge encourages people to spend more time outside, embrace clean energy, and prioritize nature in any way they can.
During his presidency, Barack proposed a climate action plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, help preserve forests, encourage the use of alternate fuels, and increase the study of climate change. Under his leadership, the United States did more to combat climate change than it had ever before, per the White House, and since he took office, carbon emissions "decreased 9 percent, while the U.S. economy grew more than 10 percent."
The docuseries opens with Barack walking on the beach in Hawaii's Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, where he says he spent a lot of his time as a child, and where his mother would listen to the ocean and watch waves wash over coral reefs on the beach when she was pregnant with him.
"Hanauma Bay is one of my favorite spots in the world. I grew up in Hawaii, and this was my backyard. My love of the natural world began here," he says. "When I was growing up, wild spaces and everyday spaces, they were one in the same: an essential part of our lives. I wanna make sure that the world's wild spaces are there for my kids and my grandkids."
The series promises to take viewers into not only America's national parks, but also the many marvelous protected areas across the globe, and to highlight underappreciated species, which, if kept safe, could help save the planet.
In the trailer for the docuseries, Barack speaks about a rare sloth that has "an entire micro-kingdom living in his fur." The former president says, "Researching him will help fight cancer, malaria, and antibiotic-resistant superbugs. This sleepy sloth might just save us all."
Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper's Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets.
