The 12-part Advancing Australia series puts major national issues under the spotlight, with each episode telling the story of innovators who are generating change and inspiring others to do the same.
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Presenter Guy Pearce said the premise of the series struck a chord with him.
"When I read the brief I was impressed by the subject matter and the innovations - whatever they happened to be," Pearce says
"They are all impressive, but it wasn't until I looked at the raw footage that I really thought this is driven by people's passion.
"I fell into this feeling of it being far more emotional."
In the first episode a marine biologist campaigned to get rid of plastic straws.
"That ground work she did, I felt motivated watching her. I recently went on a bike ride [in Amsterdam where he is currently] and I rode past people picking up rubbish - we can all get on board with that."
"I am very sensitive to the subject of human beings, but I have always been concerned on a bigger level with the environment and wildlife. I feel animals are more helpless, and it is our pollution and overpopulation which could lead to a species' extinction."
Pearce says he hopes people watching the series will feel the same motivation.
"Whether that's to get off your bum and do something or to have more compassion for people.
"If it makes people wake up and extend a hand or explore things more in nature that's a great result."
In this week's episode the amount of food waste in Australia is put under the spotlight.
The episode features a restaurant waste warrior, a food rescuer and a Queensland banana farmer.