It’s too hot to go outside and there are only re-runs on anyway, so you might consider picking out a documentary to watch if you’re feeling in the mood to learn about something you wouldn’t normally be interested in. It’s a great way to get a quick overview of the most important social justice topics today, and all you have to do is hit Play. Try out one of the five below, I promise you won’t regret it.

Flow. A MUST SEE. This is an incredibly eye-opening documentary about a wide range of water-related issues that every person, rich or poor, faces.

An Inconvenient Truth. Of course, a classic. But you’ve got to see it if you haven’t yet because it is a great starting point for someone who is becoming interested in environmental issues.

Food Inc. This academy award winner does not fall into the trap that so many films in this genre do because it’s not all that depressing. You will leave feeling empowered and motivated instead of defeated and sad.

11th Hour. A modern perspective about how we got into the environmental mess which we currently face. And, extra bonus, Leonardo DiCaprio is in it.

The Story of Bottled Water. Everything you should know about the bottled water industry.

Documentaries are meant to get the viewer to go beyond “armchair activism.” So (and it might be safe to say that Al Gore backs me up on this) don’t just sit and watch but get up and learn, educate, act and advocate.

Even though an overwhelming number of credible scientific institutions, politicians (both Republicans and Democrats), and international organizations say otherwise, a large number of people still deny that global warming exists. Chances are, some of those people are your family members or friends. So if you’re visiting your relatives or standing around at an office party this holiday season and a climate change debate starts up, here are a few things you can say/do to change a skeptic’s mind:

1. Give them the DVD of An Inconvenient Truth as a gift.

2. Ask them to read this clear and concise document about the science behind climate change. I found it easy to understand and science isn’t my forte at all.

3. Remind them that there are many prestigious universities that offer global warming as a course of study, i.e. you can get a whole PhD or Masters Degree in climate change. Think about it, Columbia University is willing to put its reputation on the line, along with huge amounts of money, for the sake of climate change research. If they think environmental degradation is that important, so should your friends.

4. The United Nations believes in climate change. In fact, they’ve created an entire offshoot program that is solely dedicated to curbing global warming. An organization which represents the entire world thinks it’s important enough too.

I hope this helps, and if it doesn’t–humor works too:

Also, read the latest from Copenhagen here