Bag It gives complex topic a simple story


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“Paper or plastic?”

The question seems so mundane, and yet, the answer is not as clear as it might seem.

Bag It

For many, the response has become as automatic as the question is inevitable: “Plastic is fine.”

But have you ever stopped to think about what exactly happens with these plastic bags after they are thrown away? Where exactly is ‘away?’

Susan Beraza’s documentary, Bag It, holds a microscope over a part of American society that, like a bag in the wind, is often ignored.

The comical documentary, which aired last Sunday on PBS, follows Jeb Berrier, a self-proclaimed average man who would hardly consider himself a tree hugger. Yet, as a curious American, he sets out to discover the truth behind our plastic-dependent society.

His journey begins with a  simple plastic bag. Berrier purchased a single yogurt contain which was then placed inside a large plastic bag upon checkout.

This small occurrence leads him to muse about the presence of plastic bags in his quiet Colorado town, which is competing with another town to see which can reduce plastic bag use the most.

By showing shots of the simple town Berrier lives in and the familiar grocery stores he shops in, Bag It’s story is relatable for the average viewer.

His journey unfolds throughout the documentary, and what he eventually finds is the use of plastic, and not just plastic bags, is seemingly inescapable and far more prevalent in society than most imagine.

Today, more than 1 million plastic bags are used every minute and 100 billion are consumed each year in the United States alone.

Though Beraza’s cinematography is not incredible, this works with the style of the documentary.

The simple cinematography makes the overall story much more personal and accessible, but the message nevertheless stays powerful as the film juxtaposes scenes of plastic bags on the street with landfills.
Beraza follows Berrier as he visits places like the market and beach and realizes the United States is a disposable society and the huge amount of disposable plastic products we consume often go ignored.
Berrier finds out the products believed to be recyclable end up where we don’t expect them: loose in the environment.
Bag It not only presents the hard facts being ignored in the United States, but also cleverly captures very human moments in the documentary as well.
Beraza uses the announcement of Berrier’s upcoming child to cast the issue of plastic consumption in more personal light.
The documentary becomes not only about the current generation, but the next one, as well.
If the negative effects on the environment, like pollution, aren’t enough cause for concern, perhaps the fact that we, as a heavily plastic-reliant society, are exposed to countless chemicals each day, explains Berrier, who is gravely concerned about his child’s future health.
As Berrier states, the “three things we love to use the most” are bags, bottles and cups, which are all lined with harsh chemical compounds that are questionable to our health.
In a time when there is seemingly more plastic than plankton in the sea, and when plastic is wrapped in plastic, Bag It calls us to notice exactly how much the substance surrounds us.
With Earth Day approaching on April 22, this documentary is more than enough to inspire some great change.
The film challenges us to “start today, right now,” to reduce, reuse, recycle and go green.