Addicted to Plastic

Addicted to Plastic: The Rise and Demise of a Modern Miracle directed by Ian Connacher is a documentary feature length film look at the world’s most ubiquitous and versatile material ever invented. From Styrofoam cups to artificial organs, Addicted to Plastic examines the world’s most influential invention of the last 100 years. The unfortunate fact is that no organism can biodegrade plastic, so this means that every piece of plastic that was ever made (except for a small amount that has been incinerated) still exists.
Filmmaker Ian Connacher follows the trail of plastic out into the ocean, into the Delhi dumps, to watch an avian autopsy in Holland, to plastic factories and recycling facilities, and to visit innovative individuals around the world who recycle plastics into useful second-life objects, all in the name of finding out more about plastic. Addicted to Plastic contains a wide variety of interviews with plastic activists and experts, scientists around the world, the American Chemical Council, recycling plant managers and business people that are recycling plastics for profit.
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the film is the trip to the Eastern Garbage Patch (North Pacific Gyro) located in the Pacific Ocean, a 1000 miles from the USA mainland. There is so much myth and heresy written about the ocean’s Garbage Patches that it was enlightening to see some actual footage. The film contains one of the best explanations on the ocean’s garbage patches and how they are created. Connacher debunks the misconception that the Garbage Patch is a ‘floating landfill’, rather he explains that ‘it is a chunk here, a piece here…’
The United Nations claims there are 46,000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. A whopping 80% of plastics in the ocean originate from land. Captain Charles Moore, world expert on the garbage patches and founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, explains that in some parts of the ocean, the ratio of plastic to plankton in the water is 10:1. A Dutch scientist finds that 90% of the birds he dissects have the human equivalent of a lunch bag full of plastic in their stomachs.

Addicted to Plastic also includes a good historical overview of plastics rise in popularity, current plastic consumption, an overview of the global problems with plastic recycling and some possible solutions on how to deal with the never ending tide of plastics.

Unfortunately, there is clearly inadequate plastic recycling infrastructure in most countries around the world. One problem is the sheer amount of different plastics on various items (lids and spouts made from different materials than the bottles), and a lack of infrastructure to deal with the quantity of plastics being consumed around the world.
Aside from individual business people and the odd company around the world who are taking responsibility for plastic consumption by creating clever recycling businesses (such as turning plastics into railway ties, plastic flower pots, jackets or handbags), little responsibility is taken for global plastic consumption, the vast majority of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans and landfills.

A great, well-made film for all ages, that should help people think twice about their plastic habit.

Download link:

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5106582