<p> That styrofoam cup you drank from this morning? It's a form of plastic, which is manufactured from fossil fuels produced through 75 million years of evolution, and was probably tossed into the trash within minutes of use. If that makes little sense, the final destination for the cup is even more idiotic. That cup will probably be dumped in a landfill, where it might remain intact for millions of years. Plastic, ostensibly disposable, is really forever. </p> <p>That's the point of Susan Beraza's documentary <em>Bag It</em>. Although wrapped in whimsy, the film's light tone is merely bright packaging for a serious topic. The spread of plastic is one of the great changes society has endured since the 1960sthat joke in <em>The Graduate</em> (“just one wordplastics”) proved to be no joke. It seems as if nearly everything is made from or packaged in plastic, a non-biodegradable substance sucking petroleum and natural gas from the Earth at an alarming rate. Some countries, such as Ireland, have instituted a user fee on plastic bags to push down consumption (and reduce the pollution they cause), but in the U.S., a well-funded plastic lobby (and front organizations with friendly-sounding names) has spent millions of dollars fighting every effort to ban or restrict the substance. </p> <p>Can we return to a world without plastic? Of course! Sam's Club, Aldi and Whole Foods are among the private enterprises taking the lead in banning plastic bags, even if they can't get rid of all the plastic packing on their shelves. Ultimately, each of us can still exercise at least a modicum of influence over the world by the everyday choices we make, including what to buy and where to shop. </p> <p>The DVD of <em>Bag It</em> has been released in plastic-free recycled packaging. </p>
