The Island Green Building Association and Gifft Hill School’s Education and Resiliency Through Horticulture program are proud to present a screening of the award-winning environmental documentary Bag It at the GHS upper campus atrium on Thursday, January 31, at 6 p.m. This free event is open to the public, and all are welcome, including families and children.
Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he tries to make sense of humans’ dependence on plastic bags. Although his quest starts out small, Jeb soon learns that the problem extends past landfills to oceans, rivers and ultimately human health.
The average American uses about 500 plastic bags each year, for about 12 minutes each. This single-use mentality has led to the formation of a floating island of plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean more than twice the size of Texas.
The film explores these issues and identifies how our daily reliance on plastic threatens not only waterways and marine life, but human health, too. Two of the most common plastic additives are endocrine disruptors, which have been shown to link to cancer, diabetes, autism, attention deficit disorder, obesity and infertility.
Following the film, local leaders of the push to reduce, reuse, and recycle effort will lead a discussion on ways residents can work together to address the issues of plastic pollution on St. John
With the screening of Bag It, IGBA is excited to announce that it’s broadening its mission from green construction to green island living. IGBA is partnering with Gifft Hill School’s EARTH program as part of its goal to encourage all island residents to live green.
Additionally, the non-profit organization is developing a long-term plan for an Island Green Living Center, which will house the ReSource Depot, and provide a home base for recycling and reuse efforts to assist in guiding the St. John community toward low-impact and sustainable island living.
IGBA and EARTH will host Green Thursdays events on the last Thursday of each month.