Persistent plastics

Plastic waste can be found in the strangest places, including the  Mariana Trench deepest underwater canyon in the world.. As plastic breaks down, animals consume it, and eventually the plastics find themselves on our plates and in our lungs. On Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m., the Emerson Center showed a striking documentary titled, “The Story of Plastic,” in front of a captivated audience. The reception included food, drinks and tables full of information from people in the community working to put a stop to plastic pollution. 

“The Story of Plastic” was an engaging film that provided viewers with the opportunity to see the truth about plastic pollution and the current planetary crisis. The film included shocking footage that was shot over three continents. It showed viewers plastic-filled rivers, enormous piles of human plastic waste in landfills and ominous, contaminated smoke pouring out of plastic production facilities. The gripping film was directed and produced by MSU’s very own Deia Schlosberg. The MSU alum received her Masters of Fine Arts in Science and Natural Filmmaking here in Bozeman. She is also the recipient of two Student Emmys and the 2009 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award.

The screening was made possible by the Bozeman Doc Series and Valley of the Flowers Project, a local initiative that is working to “help create net-zero, sustainable, healthy, vibrant places to live, through innovative programs which educate and empower, fostering a deeper connection to the natural world.” The initiative was started by Bozeman resident, Wren Kilian. Wren rode her bike from Montana all the way to Washington D.C, in order to urge the country to take a simple step towards sustainability. She wanted her petition for a national bottle deposit and single-use bag law to gain popularity, but Kilian realized that her efforts could be better used to change her lifestyle at home. Kilian started off the evening by thanking the audience for attending and adding, “five years ago, Valley of the Flowers events gathered about 40 people...even with free beer.” This year, the entire Emerson Auditorium was full. Kilian’s granddaughter also spoke, telling the audience that she had just had a birthday and that her greatest wish was for Bozeman to go to zero waste. 

The evening left audience members questioning their own consumption and how they contribute to the growing problem of plastic pollution. It made them think about the little things they can do in their life to improve their community. Check out the bozemandocseries.org to see more about their final film, “Oliver Sacks, His Own Life.”