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Each day, we become more aware of global warming and its effects; more than just a daunting concept, it's now something we can experience. It's therefore high time we learn ways to help prevent or at least slow down the effects of global warming. In the South Pole, for instance, this has become a way of life for its residents.

Screened for the public on Earth Day last week courtesy of The Body Shop, Director Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World takes a peek at the lives of the people in Antartica who chose to make the frozen continent their home. As part of The Body Shop's commitment to fair trade and campaigns against animal testing, the Earth Day festivities are meant to raise awareness about environmental issues, specifically global warming.

From the community in McMurdo Station to the Mt. Erebus volcano, Antarctica is home to biologists, volcanologists, and divers, among others, all intent on unraveling the mysteries of the icy continent to understand global warming better and hopefully prevent it.

For instance, volcanologists share their wisdom gained from studying Mt. Erebus—how volcanic eruptions can indeed affect climate and may even take part in ending human life for good.

Antarctica may be a scientists' playground, but it also attracts people seeking a different yet greener way of life. Herzog comes across a failed linguist who ends up taking charge of a greenhouse after being convinced that someday, languages will die. Meanwhile, a journeyman plumber who believes in his Aztec roots urges Herzog’s viewers to go green to keep the polar caps from melting.

While Herzog's documentary may not be enough to convince us to want to live in the frozen continent, it certainly opens our eyes to the possibility that we eventually have to live like Antarcticans should we go on destroying our planet.