WATCH: ‘4 Days to Save the world’ was a reality show with big ambitions. See a preview of the Star’s investigation.
In April of 2015, an unprecedented 4.5 billion people began watching the final episode of a reality show that had been in the works for four years. It was called “4 Days to Save the World,” and it was a series that featured a group of scientists, psychologists, and activists working together to find a solution to climate change.
The show’s goal was to “inspire and motivate people into action,” according to the official website, using the 4.5 billion viewers to spread awareness for renewable energy and sustainable design. It also allowed for a show of strength by demonstrating an inter-connected global community of action and hope.
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This is how science and activism meet: at a pivotal moment in a crucial issue. The “4 Days to Save the World” producers were seeking a way to engage audiences in the issue of climate change while also producing a message that would leave viewers feeling hopeful that they could “change the world” with action.
As “4 Days to Save the World” was being filmed, the planet was facing what was described as a “game-changing moment,” when it would either get warmer or cooler than average, but likely no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the historical average.
This was the reality of the planet: in March of 2016, it was not looking good.
The producers’ idea was that the world had a “climate emergency” that was facing humanity with a “moral responsibility,” as they explained to the New York Times:
“If humanity is going to keep the climate change at bay, we’re going to have to transform ourselves.”
To create a compelling message, the “4 Days to Save the World” creators approached the concept of climate change as a story that needed to be told “by the people who are already suffering the most from it,�