Bag It

It all started with Jeb Berrier buying yogurt at his local grocery store. He paid for it (a single container of peach yogurt), the clerk put it in a plastic bag, he went home, and did what most of us do when we acquire a new plastic bag: he added it to the pile. This seemingly mundane moment got Berrier thinking about how ingrained "disposable" plastic bags are in everyday life and wondering what could be done to reduce our dependence on them. This set him on a journey that became the funny, informative, and slightly troubling documentary called Bag It, screening for one night only at East End Co-op. If you can't make it, don't worry: the filmmakers invite communities around the country to stage screenings, which can be arranged through the film's website. There, you can also find instructions on how to get your municipality to reduce its plastic consumption by becoming a "Bag It Town."