Bag It - Film Screening (+how-to-fundraise)

About the film

Try going a day without plastic. Plastic is everywhere and infiltrates our lives in unimaginable and frightening ways. In this touching and often flat-out-funny film, we follow “everyman” Jeb Berrier, who is admittedly not a tree hugger, as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. What starts as a film about plastic bags evolves into a wholesale investigation into plastic and its effects on our waterways, oceans, and even our own bodies. We see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now.

Pssst... we will also be launching our very own short film on plastic pollution - be amongst the first to see it :)

Hosted by

CAFNEC Marine Response Team (facilitated by the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre - CAFNEC)

More about us, what we're doing and how you can be involved

The Queensland government are currently considering introducing legislation to ban plastic bags and introduce a container deposit scheme. But we need to make sure that getting legislation to reduce plastic pollution remains high on the agendas of our elected representatives.

Plastic pollution has been steadily rising as a major issue for our oceans and it is reaching breaking point with plastic estimated to soon outweigh fish! As a result, many people have already started making an effort to reduce plastic consumption, but for some this may be the first time you have heard of the issue.

Wherever you are on your journey we want you to sign up for Plastic Free July.

- For the more experienced:say no to all single-use plastic items (and add your voice to the group)

- For the inbetweeners: say no to the Top 4 (straws, plastic bottles, plastic bags & coffee cups)

- For the beginners: say no to your choice of just 1,2 or 3 of the Top 4

Sign up for a day, a week or the whole month. Don't worry, it's a challenge, not a competition so give it a try - it's not about being perfect!

Along the way we hope to create a network in FNQ of people who when the time comes can support and encourage our politicians to get the legislation through.

We know it can be hard to motivate yourself to change bad habits and the convenience of single-use plastic can be almost irresistable - but we've come up with an age old trick using new tools.

Most people are familiar with the concept that to get fit you sign up for a half-marathon, get family and friends to sponsor you so that you are motivated to stick to your goals and in the end the money goes to a great cause.

Join us for Plastic Free July by:

- Pledging to say no to single-use plastic

- Geting your family and friends to sponsor you to help you stick to it

- Helping to raise funds for great cause - the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre to help them continue initatives such as the CAFNEC Marine Response Team and the "Plastics: It All Adds Up" campaign

If you've never fundraised before don't worry, it's not as scary as it may seem. After the film we will have a discussion on tips and tricks for fundraising to help people along the journey inlcuding an introduction to the online platform we are using to fundraise.

We will be organising weekly workshops and tip sharing events throughout July for the more experienced to share their tips and tricks with those just starting out. During these catch ups we can all bring along our "dilemma bags" and talk about the items of plastic that we were unable to avoid - maybe someone will have a trick to share that will help for next time. At the weekly catch ups we will also chat about fundraising and be there to offer support and tips. Remember Plastic Free July and fundraising is about challenging yourself and doing what you can, it is not a competition.

Join us the night before Plastic Free July kicks off for some motivation - courtesy of Bag It! - the film.

Bring along your pillows, blankets and snacks to settle in for a passion-ingniting story of an average man's journey to discovering the issue of plastic and ways to overcome its consumptive powers.

Click here to make your Plastic Free July Pledge

Click here to donate or go one better and help us fundraise

Check us out on facebook - be sure to scroll down and on the left subscribe to our upcoming events