There’s no doubt that environmental change is tied to scientific discovery. So many scientists are at work every day, studying soils, organisms, greenhouse gases and a slew of other things for us to better understand our world and how to live in it. But out of the 7 billion people on this planet, only a small fraction are scientists, and they can’t make real change alone. A movement of change needs to come the general public. But because a lot of the information about our planet is published in scientific journals, it’s hard for the everyday people to understand the circumstances of our situation.
I don’t think that anything meaningful can happen without us being educated and that education needs to come from a source other than a scientific journal. They’re all but impossible to read and often don’t clearly outline steps to improve a situation. I believe that we need to push for more of this information to be published through non-fiction books, magazines and documentaries.
Because my mom is the manager of a food cooperative (and part of their mission is environmental education) I am often told about documentaries about waste, food processing and other sustainability issues. So when she told me to watch “Addicted to Plastic,” a documentary that can be conveniently found on Netflix, I was a bit skeptical. Don’t get me wrong, I think these films are important, but I typically have two major issues with them:
1. They are sometimes overly scientific, and that makes it hard for the common viewer to really understand.
2. They often leave me feeling really defeated and bad about my living habits, because they outline severe issues but don’t offer realistic solutions.
But sitting in my room, wanting desperately to do anything but homework, I decided to watch it. And I am so glad that I did.
The filmmaker, Ian Connacher takes a two-year trip around the world after realizing his reliance on plastic and its implications on the environment, documenting his journey and discoveries. What I really love about him is that he isn’t a scientist and he is honest about that. Of course, because plastic is made of chemical molecules he does talk with chemists and other scientists in the film, but he admits to not really understanding some of the things they are saying. I found that this made him really relatable, and made the viewer much more comfortable with maybe also not understanding the deep science of these issues. It gives the viewer permission to care without a vast knowledge of the subject.
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There are certainly some astounding and frightening statistics in the film (for example, that in one study it was found that in a certain part of the ocean there was ten times the amount of plastic as there was naturally occurring plankton.) It is made quite clear that plastic consumption and our recycling habits are not sustainable, and he refuses to skirt around that issue. However, Connacher does this in a really effective way. He uses light music so the entire film isn’t bogged down by these dreadful realities. And the last portion of the film is dedicated to people who are finding solutions.
The best part is that these solutions are not unrealistic. He focuses on real scientists that are finding ways to better recycle plastic, and to make plastic out of different (and more sustainable) materials like vegetable oils or starches. He recognizes that in our world, plastic cannot currently be cut out. However, we as a global population can make changes to be more responsible in our uses.
My favorite aspect of the film is that he does not put this burden on the everyday citizen. In fact, in the closing minutes he says, “We as consumers have done nothing wrong.” I think that this is so crucial. So often documentaries like this make the viewer leave feeling horrible about their own choices. Who feels empowered to make change when they feel dejected and ashamed? Connacher instead asserts that change needs to come from the plastics industry, at which point the common consumer can embrace it.
This film is not going to be nominated for an Academy Award for cinematography. It is clear that it is a low-budget film. And to be honest, it is sometimes corny and boring. But I think that its importance far outweighs these minor issues. I think that this film is an eye-opener without being a heartbreaker, which makes it a great educational watch. And at just under an hour and a half it’s a minimal commitment. It’s not like you want to do your homework anyway!
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