The Story of Plastic
The last decade has seen a profound shift in our relationship with the environment.
The spotlight has been on climate change, habitat destruction and especially the cost of human pollution on our flora, fauna and oceans. Even David Attenborough has used his position to highlight the damage plastic is doing to our world, but often the focus is on what we do with our waste. The entire process, from start to finish, is placed under the microscope in Deia Schlosberg's new documentary.
Spanning three continents, The Story of Plastic is a sweeping and wide-ranging investigation into the impact of plastics from the ground up. Whether that's factories spewing out toxic by-products or areas of developing countries which are swamped with litter, this is a man-made plague which is choking the planet. It's not just about the consumerism which causes this waste - it's the companies churning out products with no biodegradability.
With fewer and fewer countries willing to take the developed world's detritus, we're rapidly reaching a crisis point. Recycling is vastly ineffective and inefficient. It's clearly not the long-term solution. Big business seems obsessed with packaging and whilst it's something we in the developed world have been indoctrinated into for decades, it's now spreading across the developing world. The answer is clear. The answer is a plastic-free future. The Story of Plastic makes a compelling case for imminent change.
The Story of Plastic is available to watch as part of Sheffield Doc/Fest. More information about what you can do to make a difference can be found on their website.
