The Story of Plastic: Virtual Screening & Discussion
Get the popcorn ready! You’re invited to join the global premier and virtual tour of The Story of Plastic!
The Story of Stuff is releasing their first feature length film on Earth Day! The Story of Plastic takes a look at the crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of the planet and the people who inhabit it.
Join the virtual tour! RSVP to the event on Eventbrite and I’ll send you a link to watch the film. You can watch it at your convenience and in the comfort of your own home. On April 27th at 7pm, I’ll host a live discussion over Zoom so we can talk about the film!
After you watch the film, leave a comment here to say hello!
We’d love to hear your first thoughts on the film. What did you think? Was there something that surprised you? Did you like how the film was put together? I’ll start! 😊
I thought the film was really well done. I really appreciated how they debunked the idea that plastic waste and pollution is all the consumer’s fault. I think that idea leads to an unfair feeling of guilt. And that makes it harder for folks to find the true source of the problem and work to resolve it.
I also didn’t know plastic came from a waste stream! I knew it was oil based, but didn’t realize it starts as a waste product. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
UPDATE: Check out Breaking Free From Plastic for a recap of our discussion!
I thought the film was very well-done! They captured so many facets of the plastic story, and I loved how they included voices from all over the world. I think it’s so important to realize how policies and practices in the U.S. have impacts elsewhere. They did a good job of placing responsibility for this problem where it belongs.
As I was watching the film, I couldn’t help but feel unsettled given our current situation…I’ve been reading so many articles about how bad air quality from plants (such as refineries) exacerbates the coronavirus crisis. And yet there is still go-ahead to continue building these plants and EPA rollbacks…And the plastic industry is leveraging this health crisis by perpetuating the myth that plastic is always cleaner and safer. How can we stay positive right now? How can we take action? How can we not only envision, but also build, a culture and economy with human & environmental health as central priorities? All things to discuss!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Anna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the film! I agree – I thought it was really important that they highlighted that what we do in the US has such an impact all over the world.
You bring up a really good point, too, about how COVID-19 has really made it apparent that healthy lungs are so important to our overall health. Poor air quality is not only contributing to this crisis, but other health issues around the world. And yet, as you mentioned, environmental and health protections are being rolled back and misinformation is being shared. We’re definitely in a tough situation, but it’s inspiring to see people across the globe are working towards change. And these are great questions to think about! I’m looking forward to discussing them!
I sobbed twice. The children on the path in Philippines (?) giving a high five after the narration of what had been a plastic free childhood. And the children living by the petrochemical plants and asthma, leukemia…not play outside in India, in Texas.
And I thought “What a wake up that we have to stay inside. That we can’t play outside!” with COVID-19. I listened to a youth panel this afternoon. The first youth studies invasive species…and I suddenly awakened…Humans are the prime invasive species…COVID arose because we have pushed into the “wild”.
Legislation on bans, on Extended Product Responsibility, moving to zero waste looks like a new category of green jobs.
These are first thoughts.
Oh my goodness, totally. Some of the scenes were really tough to watch. It was hard to see the way recycling was taking place in the Philippines (I believe) where they didn’t have any of the protective equipment needed. Or how they have to light the plastic on fire and smell it to know if it’s a plastic that can be recycled. Ugh!
Interesting takeaway from the youth panel! That we’ve pushed into the “wild.” Learning more about invasive plants and animals really inspired me to live more in tune with the ecosystem we live in and less invasively.
Love your thoughts on steps forward. Thanks so much for sharing, Barbara!
I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been really disconnected with what happens once I toss my plastic in the “recycling”. Knowing that it is often shipped across the world to be sorted and mostly burned into harmful chemicals really…pisses me off. I also didn’t realize that “Made with Plants” doesn’t automatically mean bio-degradable. How can we encourage our community to do with out plastics?
Thanks for sharing, Rachael! I don’t think you’re alone in feeling disconnected. Things have been set up so that it’s very easy for us to feel that way. I mean, who would have thought that we needed to question the process? Milwaukee’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) does a really good job of selling recyclables to local vendors to recycle, but this certainly isn’t happening on a large scale. And after watching the film, I find it hard to value plastic recycling.
Great question about encouraging the community – it’s crucial in solving this!
This was an amazing informative film! It was disturbing to watch many of the scenes. This only affirms the fact, that this needs to get into the news and the media needs to get involved and buck up and take responsibility to report it. Every, every night on the national and local news there should be a segment on this to make everyone aware. People would sincerely think twice about using plastic if the things we saw in this film would be reported more often. Shame on the big companies and money makers and cover-ups! And I hate that I cannot use my resuable cloth bags in the grocery during the virus to get produce! So, I do the juggling act instead of them giving me a bag….. Yes, something’s gotta give! 🌍❤️
Thanks so much for sharing, Lynda! I think you make a really good point about the problem not being covered very well in the news. I know I see more news stories about actions being taken to help solve the problem (which is great), but I see these stories met with apathy or even resistance. And I think that has a lot to do with not much attention being given to the scale of the problem. Education and information on a large scale would go a long way here!
I know what you mean about the reusable bags! I’m happy to see that Outpost here is offering brown paper bags for produce as an alternative too.
Hi,
Peter Kane here from Ireland, I am a teacher teaching in a small rural school. Sometimes one feels completely overwhelmed by the scale of the issue but we must start small and initiate a snowball effect. We banned single-use plastic bottles in our school and this spread to the pupils’ families and community through clubs etc. If we all took on the simple task of replacing our single-use bottles with reusable ones this would be a big step and clearly send a message out
Cheers, Peter Kane
Hi Peter! Thanks so much for joining us from Ireland. That’s so cool! You make a really good point about how our actions have a snowball effect. I think that’s really important to keep in mind, especially when taking on such big issues. I love how this worked out in your school! I think businesses play a big role in this snowball effect too. One business eliminating eliminating single-use plastic has a ripple effect to other businesses. Thanks again, Peter!
Hi from Gregg at Emeco! This film was really impactful to help people understand how bad the current plastic problem is. We are working so hard to help out and figure out ways to contain and use resourcefully our overwhelming plastic waste steams. This film has really added further fuel to the fire. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Gregg! This film definitely got me inspired as well. I just reached out to a local company today about reducing their use of single-use plastics. I’m glad there are folks finding ways to reduce the impact any way they can!
I thought this film was very powerful. It presented the plastics problem in a clear way and with a clear solution. We must hold major corporations accountable for the plastic pollution they create. They cannot keep getting rich while people and our planet pay the price of their pollution.
If you all liked this film, other similar films include Plastic Wars and Plastic Oceans. After watching all of these films, I am more committed than ever to tackling this problem.
I hope to get to know all of you like-minded people with progressive values better. Unfortunately, it has been a very difficult few days. My aunt is dying of COVID-19 alone in a nursing home. I work in gun violence prevention, and there was a major shooting today in Milwaukee. Thus, I don’t feel that I have the emotional energy to discuss this sad film on Zoom today.
Please connect with me on Instagram @bodycompassionblog.
Jacey
I’m so sorry to hear this, Jacey! I completely understand not having the capacity to join the discussion on Zoom. And I really appreciate you taking a moment to watch the film and share your thoughts. It’s actions and commitment like this that really inspires me and makes me feel like there is a way to tackle this crisis.
Thanks again for your thoughts and for the other film suggestions. I’ll be sure to check them out!
Thank you! I hope it went well.
Thanks, Jacey! It went really well. I’ll share a recap of the discussion tomorrow!
I thought this doc was quite eye opening despite knowing a lot about the issue myself.
It’s so overwhelming when you have very powerful oil companies pushing agenda (sometimes in very violent ways without punishment by law) to get their way for financial profit alone.
As the state whose former senator started Earth Day, it’s unfortunate that we face plastic trash issues throughout Wisconsin and in the Great Lakes where many fish have been found to have microplastics in their system.
I myself have butted heads with a Milwaukee-based chain restaurant that only serves their poke out of plastic containers and plastic bags and I also found out about our state having a ban on banning plastic bags.
I’m extremely aggressive in avoiding single use plastic in my personal life, but I understand that with a lot of ignorance and close-mindedness, it’s difficult to bring up these issues to individuals and businesses without them feeling confronted and shutting off to being open to making change for better.
How do we do this on a more massive scale? How do I get people in my community (very close-minded and ignorant) to actually care about making changes? How can we as community members congregate to make true change in state legislature like some of the foreign countries mentioned?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Conner! Here and during last night’s discussion. You inspired me to be more aggressive in preventing plastic from entering my home. I reached out to a local company this morning to see if they’ll consider reducing single-use plastic.
I think leading by example is one of the strongest ways to influence change in a respectful way amongst our peers. And I think what you mentioned about getting folks that people look up to to make it the “cool” thing to do also has a major impact!
Glad to hear and thanks for hosting the free viewing and discussion! It was great to discuss among new like-minded individuals about these issues. I’d like to stay in touch and hopefully collaborate at some point in the future!
Be Well!
Conner
Hi Conner! Thank YOU so much for joining in. I agree – it was really wonderful connecting with so many on this issue. I’ll be sending a recap of the discussion tomorrow and a couple other thoughts. I’d love your input on one of my next projects!
Well… insert sound of chirping crickets. That’s my immediate reaction after watching the film. I am speechless and overwhelmed.
This film was so well done and informative in a very understandable level to everyone. I have been aware of the plastic problem since my Environmental Science class in College. I learned about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and I immediately found old t-shirts to make grocery bags, lightweight fabric for produce, mason jars for storing leftovers, and i just kept thinking thinking thinking what else i could do. I got so overwhelmed with the endless amount of things i had to change or try to fix when it came to purchasing my normal household items! Some items like toothpaste it seems that i just can’t. That is often times how i feel when the topic of recycling and sustainability come about. However, i’ve tried a new approach and am trying to help and fix the problem that is in my own control… and to be honest, doing it a little more slowly to implement the change to last.
I again felt overwhelmed and sad after watching this film to see not only the recycling side, but the production, the consumption, the recycling, the sorting, the BURNING! Ah! The woman’s analogy of the bathtub is really accurate! You see on Instagram and Facebook about garbage coating beaches and the turtle getting the straw in his nose or the birds who are still getting stuck in the soda plastic ring can holders. There is a surge of everyone switch to your metal straws! Cut up your soda ring holders! Buy these big plastic water bottles from Starbucks with the bedazzled logo on it. Bonus! you can fill it up with a caramel iced coffee with double whip in the morning and then water the rest of the day! But the surges die down and people are still accepting their drinks from McDonalds or Starbucks with their plastic straw… whether you want it or not.
I thought as i watched this… if only everyone who saw Mandi’s post and saw that she was hosting a free movie watching would have done this. Or what if everyone who saw the documentary on Netflix about plastic or sustainability watched it. Then more and more people would actually see that it’s not just a couple of scraps of garbage at your local park. It’s not just the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, its not just the Ghazipur landfill. Its all that and then an unimaginable amount more. Then! Maybe! People would be interested in contributing and making changes. Maybe then we all could reverse the way it’s been done and make the manufacturers contribute or pay for the management. Maybe then we can turn the tap off? When? maybe? How?
oh man! i seem so overwhelmed and slightly grumpy. But overall, i’m so thankful to the people who dedicate their life to this. and the people who made this film, and the people like you Mandi who have shared it to all of us! This is the slow start… this is the part in our control. deep breath!
I totally hear you, Bekki! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I agree, this problem feels so overwhelming when you consider all that we’re up against. But seeing so many people interested and committed to taking action is so inspiring to me. So many people that are putting their foot down and saying no. And everyday more people are joining in. This film does such a good job informing people about what’s happening and I’m excited by how many people watched it!
And I think you’re right, taking on actions when you can so that you can implement them sustainably is the best way forward. Anna mentioned in the discussion last night that we can’t forget about our own mental health too! Doing what you can and spreading the word do wonders.