Plastics 360: Film Night

"We may not think about them often," says the American Chemistry Council, "but versatile plastics inspire countless innovations that help make life better, healthier and safer every day." In this view, plastics provide cheap, hygienic, lightweight, and convenient materials for a growing economy. But plastics are turning out to be anything but convenient.

In 2010, American manufacturers produced over 51 million tons of plastic. That same year, American households threw away (not recycling) over half that amount. What are the costs and effects of this kind of waste in our daily lives? What can you personally do to protect the environment and your health?

Join us for a comprehensive review of research on plastic in the oceans, plastic toxicity, the costs of disposability, and ways that we each can shift to more life-sustaining materials. Local leaders in health, conservation, and resource recovery will describe issues and solutions to the plague of plastic pollution.

For students, teachers, business managers and owners, civic leaders, citizen activists, and anyone interested in sustainable living.

Thursday, March 7, 7-9 pm. Introduction & film night. $10 donation. Reserve your seat here.

Film shorts: The Story of Bottled Water (Annie Leonard); Midway Island cleanup (Chris Jordan); We Can Recycle Plastic (Mike Biddle); and more
With: Chris Pincetich, PhD, Sea Turtle Restoration Project; Beck Cowles, Berkeley Ecology Center; Monica Wilson, GAIA; and Beth Terry, http://www.myplasticfreelife.com
Where: Berkeley Unitarian Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar Street (at Bonita Avenue)