Netflix’s Down to Earth: Zac Efron’s Eco Adventure Series Wins Over Viewers

Zac Efron's Eco-Trek: A Netflix Hit Reimagining Green Living

Talk about mixing Hollywood power with real-world impact. Netflix’s Down to Earth series isn’t your usual celebrity travelogue. Fronted by Zac Efron—yes, the High School Musical guy turned environmental explorer—the show has become a surprise hit for its breezy dive into sustainable living and healthy habits worldwide.

In each episode, Efron pairs up with wellness guru Darin Olien as they crisscross the globe. Season one jump-started audiences in 2020: they tasted mineral-rich bread in Iceland, explored Paris’s green water purification, and trekked Costa Rican jungles, searching for people and places reinventing how we treat the planet. With travel banter and honest curiosity, they ask questions anyone else might if dropped into a local market or solar farm: What’s making this place tick? Who’s leading the change?

The hook is how they immerse themselves. It’s not just snap-and-go tourism. They’re milking goats with Sardinian villagers or inspecting hydroelectric setups in rural Peru. Sure, Zac’s movie-star charm makes things fun, but what really stands out is the direct experience—taste the bread, meet the farmers, test out new tech. Ordinary viewers get glimpses of unfamiliar traditions, whether it’s the indigenous farming wisdom of Bruce Pascoe in Australia or renewable energy fixes lighting up remote towns.

Battling Climate Gloom with Hope—and a Dash of Critique

These days, it’s easy to tune out environmental documentaries that hammer on doom and disaster. That’s where Down to Earth builds a fresh vibe. The message is hope-forward: you’ll spot ancient grains being revived for soil health, creative green energy projects, and lessons drawn from thousands of years of local knowledge. Instead of shaming, the show nudges viewers: try this new recipe, rethink that daily habit, consider solar panels for your roof—even if you’re not Zac Efron.

Of course, not everything is picture perfect. A few science purists have called out Olien’s occasional health tips as more spiritual than factual, especially in the realm of superfoods and wellness fads. But most fans seem to take it in stride, drawn more to the hands-on travel, passionate local leaders, and practical eco solutions than to the odd “miracle water” claim.

After the first season’s success, a second round zoomed in on Australia’s wild landscapes, highlighting bold ideas for farming and conservation. The show even landed on The CW network before being shelved after just two episodes. But no matter where it airs, Down to Earth keeps its loyal audience asking the same question: if Zac Efron can shake up his lifestyle, what’s stopping us?

• Exploring sustainable agriculture in remote communities
• Witnessing ground-breaking renewable energy in action
• Learning from indigenous leaders who blend ancient wisdom with modern science
• Tasting—and sometimes surviving—the world's healthiest and strangest foods

For anyone sick of lectures and gloom, Down to Earth brings a breath of fresh air. Green living here feels accessible, global, and—most of all—pretty fun to watch.