From the press release:
The Western North Carolina Alliance is hosting a screening of the award-winning environmental documentary Bag It at UNC Asheville on Thursday, February 16.
Try going a day without plastic. Plastic is everywhere and infiltrates our lives in unimaginable and frightening ways. In this touching and often flat-out-funny film, we follow “everyman” Jeb Berrier, who is admittedly not a tree hugger, as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. Although his quest starts out small, Jeb soon learns that the problem extends past landfills to oceans, rivers and ultimately human health.
The average American uses about 500 plastic bags each year, for about twelve minutes each. This single-use mentality has led to the formation of a floating island of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean more than twice the size of Texas.
The film explores these issues and identifies how our daily reliance on plastic threatens not only waterways and marine life, but human health, too. Two of the most common plastic additives are endocrine disruptors, which have been shown to link to cancer, diabetes, autism, attention deficit disorder, obesity and infertility.
The Western North Carolina Alliance recognizes the importance of reducing single-use plastic use for the safety of our community and environment. With the help of Asheville GreenWorks’ “Bag Monsters” program and the Student Environmental Center at UNC Asheville, we hope to educate and inspire all who attend.
There will be a recycling drop off for plastic bags, so look through your pantries and bring them in! You are also encouraged to bring your own cups for light refreshments to reduce the amount of plastic waste.
What: Screening of Bag It, followed by a presentation by Bag Monsters
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Location: UNC Asheville, Highsmith Center, room 224 (Beaucatcher Mtn. Suite)
Suggested Donation: $5.00This event is open to the public. For additional information, please contact Joy Irby at 828-258-8737.
About Western North Carolina Alliance
For almost 30 years, the Western North Carolina Alliance has been a trusted community partner, marshalling grassroots support to keep our forests healthy, our air and water clean, and our communities vibrant. The Alliance and its chapters throughout Western NC unleash the power of citizens’ voices to protect the natural heritage of our region to help ensure that people and the environment can thrive. For more information please visit www.wnca.org.
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