The Why

ABOUT THE FILM

Striking footage shot over three continents illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash; rivers and seas clogged with waste; and skies choked with the poisonous runoff from plastic production and recycling processes with no end in sight. Original animations, interviews with experts and activists, and never-before-filmed scenes reveal the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world – and the global movement rising up in response.

Part 1 of the documentary titled: The Recycling Myth dives into the question, ’What really happens to our plastic waste once we put it in the recycling bin?’. The keys findings are:

• Only a fraction of the plastic we use is actually recycled. Since the 1950s, only 9% of plastic has been recycled.
• Western and Northern Europe also largely rely on incinerating waste, conveniently labelling it “Waste to Energy Recovery”. But in terms of CO2 emissions, burning plastic, which is made from fossil fuels, is similar to burning coal or oil.
• As our demand for oil and gas goes down, the supply of plastic is planned to go up, especially in emerging markets. Some estimates even suggest that plastic production is expected to triple by 2050.

Part 2 of the documentary titled, Coca Cola’s Plastic Promises, is centred around the plastic industry and puts Coca-Cola’s “World Without Waste” strategy under the spotlight. Some key takeaways from the documentary include:

• The soft-drinks industry produces 470 billion plastic bottles every year, designed to be used just once and then thrown away.
• Samoa, an island nation with no plastic recycling plant, reveal that Coke closed its glass refillable bottling line in February 2021 and began importing plastic bottles to Samoa.
• We discover that plastic is frequently burned on open dumps in countries like Uganda, with serious consequences for people’s health and the climate.

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FAQs

Can I watch the film several times and share my link with others?

No. Please do not share the streaming link with others, post it online anywhere, or watch it multiple times. This is to ensure that all attendees can watch the film without reaching the viewing limit. You can, however, share the event on your Social Media so that your friends and family can also RSVP.

What languages are offered in the subtitles?

English, French.