“A Plastic Ocean” will screen at the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens on Saturday, September 9th at 2pm. This film screening is sponsored by the New York City chapter of Organizing for Action, a nonprofit for community organizing. The event is free and open to the public.
A feature length documentary, “A Plastic Ocean” tackles the big picture of bringing together every day plastic consumption with the environmental damage happening to the ocean. The film screening includes a discussion with local activists, giving Queens’ residents solutions and ideas towards addressing this immediate problem. Snacks generously donated by Hellgate CSA will be served.
The film highlights important facts such as that the ocean is filled with an estimated 8 million tons of plastic. The film asks the viewers to reconsider the impact their purchasing decisions have on the environment, but also inspire viewers to see the possibility of a plastic-free world.
Think of the plastic you use on a daily basis. How often do we walk at the beach and some trash is washed ashore or carelessly left behind, from styrofoam containers to aluminum cans. The vast majority of ocean trash is plastic: the disposable cutlery, soda bottles, package wrap…
Manufacturers opt for plastic for two reasons: affordability and durability. When plastic enters the ocean, the sun and chemical reactions cause the plastics to breakdown into smaller pieces called microplastics. These microplastics can be confused as food by sea mammals, birds, and fish, resulting in health problems and ultimately death.
When plastic degrades it gradually releases harmful chemical such as bisphenol A (BPA) and styrene into the water, acting as a source of pollution. Bisphenol A interferes with hormones of sea-dependent creatures and humans who digest them. Styrene has also been studied as a potential carcinogen.
The film’s showing is expected to have a profound impact in New York City, especially with the governor’s block of the disposable bag fee. Organizing for Action New York (OFA-NY) hopes to spread awareness while furthering opportunities to spark creative-thinking and problem-solving at a much needed time for the environment.
Panelists will include Denise Bolognino, Lead Coordinator for the Hellgate CSA (http://hellgatecsa.net), who will speak to how participating in community supported agriculture promotes both personal and environmental health. Monica Ibacache is the Founder and Executive Director of Beyond Organic Design (http://www.beyondorganicdesign.org). She has been a New York City–based organizer, sustainability educator, and ecological designer since 2007.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/145016592752738/.
Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/2wC0FjZ
OFA: https://www.ofa.us/
“A Plastic Ocean”: https://www.plasticoceans.org/film/
Variety Boys & Girls Club: http://www.varietyboysandgirlsclub.org/