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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

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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