DVD
REVIEW: BAG IT
3/12/12

Since plastic bags were introduced at grocery stores in 1977, people have been consuming nearly one million bags a minute. About 500 billion plastic bags are used in one year worldwide. Where does it all end up and what impact does it have on our environment, marine life and health?.
In director Suzan Beraza’s award-winning documentary, BAG IT, host Jeb Berrier determines to answer this question as he takes a closer look at society’s addiction to plastic. He discovers that many of the products people use every day are made out of plastic and some contain potentially harmful chemical additives, such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalates, which are linked to illnesses and other health
problems.
Berrier travels to Europe and several parts of the United States to meet with experts, activists, marine biologists, government officials and regular citizens who are concerned about the over-abundance of plastic and its disastrous impact on the environment and their
health.
BAG IT provides an entertaining but serious look at plastic bags while challenging their convenience and accessibility. Some of the key facts highlighted in the film
include:
The average American uses about 500 plastic bags each year, for an average of 12 minutes before they are discarded.
Two million plastic bottles are consumed in the U.S. every five minutes; less than 25% are recycled.
14 million pounds of trash end up in the ocean each year.
An estimated 100,00 marine mammals and sea birds die each year from becoming entangled in or ingesting plastic debris
Plastic bags are made of fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas, which are non-renewable resources.
Ireland and China significantly reduced their use of plastic bags:
1.Ireland reduced its plastic bag use by 90% after instituting a fee on single-use disposable plastic bags.
2.China banned “ultra thin” plastic bags in 2008. They reduced their use by 40 billion bags in the first year.
BAG IT features in-depth interviews with actor and activist Peter Coyote, who is one of a handful of Americans to have a “body burden” test, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Seattle City Council president Richard Conlin, authors Annie Leonard (The Story of Stuff) and Dan Imhoff (Paper or Plastic), artist Chris Jordan and other individuals that are reducing the use of plastic in their lives and making the necessary changes to improve their environment..
The film received numerous film festival awards, including the Best of Festival at the Monterey Blue Oceans Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Durango International Film Festival and the Best Environmental Film at the Sedona International Film Festival. Packaging for the DVD is made of 100% plastic-free recycled material and environmentally-friendly ink.
VIDEO:
Full Screen
AUDIO:
Dolby 2.0 Surround Sound
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