Bag It

Bag it is a documentary with a simple and important message; our disposable society needs to change if we are to survive as a species. We are now using 1milion plastic bags per minute. Quite a few countries have banned their use including New Dehli, India, where they were clogging the drains and causing floods. Jeb Berrier travels from city to city and nation to nation illustrating the different ways they are dealing with the problem.

Berrier is sort of a less sarcastic and non confrontational version of Michael Moore. His wife is pregnant with their first child, so he is concerned about his baby's future. The numbers are staggering; 2 million plastic bottles every 5 minutes, requiring 17 million barrels of oil to produce and 12 billion dollars spent every year on bottled water.

Recycling turns out not to be the simple solution either, as every locale has vastly different guidelines with many categories. 260 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans from around the world annually, resulting in fish and birds, and in one particularity sad example, albatross's ingesting it as food and dying.

The last issue raised is the production of baby bottles and other products requiring BPA to produce. This chemical has been shown to increase the risk of cancer, diabetes, and to drastically alter the hormones levels in newborns.

Berrier has a light touch with an important topic and at 78 minutes, it is well edited with important information without being too preachy and he is a very likable host. Spread the word about this vital documentary and maybe we can make a difference.

Has a lot of information that is at once provocative to even the dullest mind.

There can be no doubting the importance of this kind of media coverage.

Plastic bags = self destruction.

The data and imagery, the accuracy, it is all blindingly serious.

There is a slight absurdity about it all and this is well suited to the topic which is easily argued as the purest form of absurdity.

There is none more insane then our destruction of what we have and are, self sabotage while ignorance is bliss.

Its good that it has a global slant despite forcing the U.S condition.

I recommend this movie for all people. Hippies and non hippies alike. It should be essential educational material.

Just counteracting the 10/10 reviews here. It's not there narratively, analytically, production-wise or in delivering on it's promise (any one would suffice). I am not sure it would even qualify as good, perhaps compared to it's counterparts. Defenitively solid background choice though, as it's quite digestable and lively.

To all that rate it 9/10 or 10/10: If you want to be responsible, maybe start with your statements.

Good overview of the problems of plastic- from product use, transportation, composition and recycling. Covers issues around the world as well. Documentary is thoughtful, and entertaining.

The author was not really interested in the topic until his town had a contest- he then starts thinking about all the ways plastic affects our lives, and its affect on the planet, sea life, the oceans and eventually right back to us. It shows the truth about recycling- which is not what people picture. There is the problems of people being unclear about what we can recycle, and also how towns who have tried to fight the chemical companies are largely out-funded.

A very good overview overall, presented with some bits of humor- though a couple jokes may be over the top.

Raises awareness, overall slightly lacks analytical perspective. There are only a few, but considerably weird bits with sexual jokes and some gender panic.