The Conscious Rising 20. In Antarctica With Oscar Winning Director Louie Psihoyos
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Legendary filmmaker and activist Louie Psihoyos reveals the raw truth behind the camera, the contradictions of eco-luxury, and what it takes to truly change the world.
Louie is the Academy Award-winning director of The Cove, Racing Extinction, and The Game Changers. Once a National Geographic photographer, he now leads the Oceanic Preservation Society, blending film, science, and activism to fight for the planet.
In this conversation, Louie shares:
- The internal guilt behind making climate films while emitting carbon to shoot them
- Why being vegan is about more than saving animals—it’s about reversing disease and saving lives
- What shocked him about microplastics in our bodies and the terrifying truth about human health
- Why changing the world is less about outrage, and more about lighting up a few people
- The powerful mentors, billionaires, and brutal realities that shaped his mission
- What Antarctica taught him about the edge between comfort and extinction
Follow The Conscious Rising:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_theconsciousrising
Website - https://theconsciousrising.com/
Connect With Sean:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/seanleedavies/?hl=en
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Sean-Lee-Davies
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanleedavies88/
Connect With Louie:
Instagram – @louiepsihoyos
Website – https://www.opsociety.org
YouTube – Oceanic Preservation Society
00:00 Can You Save the Planet While Burning Carbon?
01:09 Who is Louie Psihoyos?
02:30 The Hypocrisy of Climate Activism
03:50 Chasing Funding & Billionaire Allies
05:29 Navigating Dangerous Ice in Antarctica
06:50 Luxury vs Reality on an Icebreaker
08:54 A Photographer’s Eye on the Planet
10:50 The Story That Launched a Recycling Movement
13:16 Is TikTok Killing Documentaries?
15:00 Behind Racing Extinction: Building Films + Movements
16:28 The Plastic Crisis Inside Our Bodies
17:57 Can We Even Protect Ourselves from Microplastics?
20:17 From Eco-Anxiety to Electric Cars
22:23 The Game Changers: Why Diet Changes Lives
24:09 Being Vegan Isn’t Trendy—It’s Urgent
27:14 What It Takes to Spark Social Change
28:48 Are Plant-Based Meats the Answer?
30:44 Science, Tourism & Carbon Guilt
34:16 Should We Even Be Here?
36:01 Antarctica: Pristine Beauty in Peril
38:34 When Tech Overpowers Nature
40:08 A Floating Lab of Science & Stories
42:27 Lighting the Next Spark
44:17 Louie’s Top 3 Lessons for Changemakers