A new documentary may be the final push Victoria needs towards banning the supermarket bag.
Blue by Karina Holden isscreening at the Melbourne International Film Festival this month. It depicts the devastating decline in the quality of our oceans not just because of climate change, but also because of the plastic bag.
Blue Official Trailer
The crisis of ocean change, lapping on our shores, has critical implications for the future of our country and our way of life. The very nature of the sea is…
The film has come to Victoria at a time where awareness is urgent. It says we’re at a tipping point; that if we don’t start to take responsibility for our individual impact on the environment, our oceans will be irreversibly damaged.
According to the film’s website, it’s predicted in two decades there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. It’s also estimated the equivalent of a dump truck of plastic will have been tipped into the ocean by the time you finish reading this article. Plastic is like a cancer to the sea, killing hundreds of thousands of sea creatures in a multitude of ways. It’s absorbed by plankton, which is consumed by larger creatures, until the entire food chain is infected with toxic chemicals. Plastic bags are also mistaken for jelly fish by dolphins, whales and turtles, causing them to choke to death in one of the slowest and most painful ways possible.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOZOlzIjrwx/?taken-by=take3forthesea
Blue opens our eyes to underwater tragedies like this, reminding us mindless acts like binning a plastic bag have dire consequences. But is it too late for change? And why is ‘banning the bag’ in Victoria the perfect place to start?
Greens Member and driver of Plastic Bag Free Victoria, Dale Martin, said it’s never too late for change.
“Banning the bag targets a few primary issues; the litter problem – millions ending up in the environment, behaviour change around out single use and throw away culture and creating awareness of resource depletion and the impact of this on the environment.”
Martin also said Plastic Bag Free Victoria are “hoping for a similar outcome to the other states with initial reductions of between 70-90% of the total usage.”
A number of Australian states have already jumped on the ‘ban the bag’ bandwagon, including ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania. Many communities are also voluntarily plastic bag free throughout Australia. So what is Victoria waiting for? We’ve talked about it, but when will policy-based change be affected?
In April, Waleed Aly spoke publicly about the issue on The Project, stating it’s up to us, the public, to push for government action. “Tweet the premiers to let them know you support a ban. Email them. Call them. Hit them up on their Facebook pages. Show them that there’s plenty of political goodwill in having the courage to ban the bag”.
The Project calls on the three Australians who can #BanTheBag. Written by Tom Whitty and Waleed Aly.
Petition is here: https://www.change.org/p/ban-plastic-bags-across-nsw-victoria-and-waWritten by Waleed Aly and Tom Whitty (@twhittyer) for The Project, Netw…
In turn, we need films like Blue to motivate us to challenge government policy, or alter individual behaviours that are harmful or wasteful. The website for the film,Blue the Film provides specific information on how to get involved and make your own difference.
Catch a screening of Blue at the Melbourne International Film Festival on the 15th of August at Melbourne Central Cinema or on the 17th at the Melbourne comedy theatre.
Sinead Horne, City Journal News.
