The 15th annual One Earth Film Festival screened the documentary “Plastic People” in Annenberg Hall Thursday.
The event was co-hosted by One Earth, Illinois Clinicians for Climate Action and Climate Action Evanston. The film featured science journalist Ziya Tong’s journey to learn how microplastics affect humans around the world.
Josh Bynum, One Earth’s digital communications and program support coordinator, said the organization has organized 22 film screenings around the Chicago area, each focusing on an aspect of environmental justice.
“The specific goal of the film festival is to create climate awareness through the arts,” he said.
Bynum said the festival’s theme, “GenWe: All Together Now,” refers to a generation that’s “all about fostering community in our planet.”
After the film, a panel of local experts spoke to the audience about the impact of microplastics.
Moderator and CAE Executive Director Jack Jordan said he chose the film because he noticed many people aren’t familiar with the risks of microplastics — himself included.
“If I didn’t know more about (microplastics), and I run a nonprofit organization that deals with climate for a living, then the average person who’s concerned about climate also doesn’t know about this,” he said.
Jordan said he hoped viewers left with more knowledge about microplastics, including its harmful effects to human health and the “culpability of large corporations and the government for creating that problem.”
Panelist Susan Buchanan, a physician at University of Illinois Chicago and member of ICCA, said that while humans have been exposed to microplastics against their will in today’s society, people should not panic.
“There’s no way you’re going to get it all out of your system,” Buchanan said, “but the human body is extremely resilient.”
CAE board member Ashvin Veligandla, another panelist, offered plastic reduction suggestions like bringing Tupperware to restaurants instead of relying on takeout containers.
Triveni Institute Director and Founder Jordan Parker said investing in reusable versions of everyday items like water bottles, bags and coffee cups can also make a big difference in the long run.
“We need political action and we need individual responsibility,” Parker said.
Jordan said even though films are easy to access due to streaming platforms, it’s not as accessible to watch and discuss them with others.
Bynum said that film is a good medium for communicating climate issues because of its accessibility and aesthetic.
“It’s literary, it’s visual, it’s artistic, it’s beautiful,” he said.
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