On Earth Day, 'Avatar' Sees Blue ... and Green

"Avatar" DVD and Blu-ray discs hit shelves today, Earth Day. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

With today's Earth Day release of James Cameron's "Avatar" on DVD and Blu-ray, fans of the film are getting a chance to revisit the magical world of Pandora, as well as the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the year's most eco-friendly day.

In fact, anyone who purchases the disc will have the opportunity to join The Avatar Program, which, in addition to gaining access to exclusive content, also offers the chance for viewers to adopt a tree to be planted this year in one of 15 countries.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and the Earth Day Network are partnering for the Home Tree Initiative to plant 1 million native trees in countries including the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Brazil and Haiti.

Now, that's definitely taking the movie-going experience to the next level.

I'll admit, it took me a while to catch "Avatar" in theaters. Between finding someone to watch CC -- we weren't sure if it was preschooler-friendly -- and simply wondering if the film would live up to the hype, it was a few weeks before I could catch it in 3D.

And, boy, was it worth it.

Like many people I've talked to about the film -- about a young man who embarks on a transformative journey to a new world, where he must choose between his old life and the native creatures he has come to love -- I, too, was fascinated by this idyllic, mythical world where everything from the trees to its inhabitants was truly connected.

I received a review DVD copy of the film just this morning, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and I was eager to pop it in to see if the effect would be the same at home and in 2D.

Although Ian and I were able to catch only a few scenes before having to pause, the movie itself is still lovely, despite having one fewer dimension. (However, I recommend seeing the movie in 3D at some point. That's the best way to just immerse yourself in it.)

The world Cameron created is truly breathtaking, and the drama itself is tense and emotional. Who isn't moved just watching a native people literally fighting for their very existence?

I'm still not sure if CC is ready for the movie. The battle scenes and fighting might not scare her, necessarily, but I'm not sure she should have that on her radar just yet.

What we can do, however, is use this as an inspiration for making our own lives a little more eco-friendly.

CC's preschool has talked to the kids about recycling, and there are separate wastebaskets for trash and plastics.

It was funny just hearing my 3-year-old say "recycling." It sounded so adult.

We also have a couple of plants outside on our balcony that are her responsibility to water. We make a point to go out every day, so she can see them grow and change.

And now, when CC gets home, we can plant a tree. It might not be right in our back yard, but in our globally connected world, it's the action itself that can make a difference.