Hi all – Aaron writing. It’s Earth Day! I feel bad that I have very rarely done much to celebrate earth day and I am particularly terrified that the three week old baby that my wife and I just brought into this world will definitely blame me for doing NOTHING to make the world a better place for her. I’m a pessimist so I don’t believe there is much I can do to help her with that or change her future disdain for me. But I do hope that I can show her that I helped change the plastic bag laws in New York.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE: VOTE WITH YOUR TOTE
This is another Papel e Caneta project – completely volunteer time by amazing people across the creative industry. We partnered with Jannie Romer, one of the top legal minds on the subject of plastic bags, as well as Weiji Ma, a professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at NYU. Weiji is part of a group called SCAAN, which brings scientists together to try to effect laws in a logical direction. Our hope in this case is that we can convince Governor Cuomo and the New York legislature to change the plastic bag laws for NYC. We want a 5 cent fee on every plastic bag so that people can change their behaviors and stop using these fucking stupid single use death traps. Bring a reusable bag to the store. Vote with Your Tote.I will admit, I have used plastic bags without even thinking most of my life. We need to stop doing that. We use them for free, but we are paying a seriously hefty cost on wildlife and even our own health.
We worked with five artists, each to create a unique tote bag design for a different bodega in each of the five boroughs. Then we filmed a little doc while the bodega owners tried to convince their customers that a 5 cent fee is necessary to remind people to use a reusable bag. We got AMAZING designers: Angelica Hicks, Caroline Kaufman, Kristin Texeira, Raiza and Vinicius Costa, and Zipeng Zhu.
A film by Papel & Caneta and PlasticBagLaws.org
Directed by Lake Buckley and Co-directed by Aaron Duffy
Edited by Mah Ferraz
Cinematography by Nick Kova
Produced by Shelley Cheung, Kemi Oluwanifise, and Elizabeth Woodward Papel & Caneta, New York City: Beto Bina, Guto Monteiro, Joao Unzer, Kenia Perez, Rogo de Castro, Shannon Ross, Spice Walker
Supporters: Aaron Duffy, Diego Machado, Jess Greenwood, Morihiro Harano, Tim Claassen
Color by Brett Price
Sound mixing by Ben Conlon
Music by Asche & Spencer
PlasticBagLaws.org is Jennie Romer
BodegasL Bronx: A&M Market Brooklyn: Yafa Newstand Queens: Fresh Fruit & Cafe org
Manhattan: Omaisi Gourmet Deli Staten Island: Fiesta Deli
Designers: Angelica Hicks, Caroline Kaufman, Kristin Texeira, Raiza and Vinicius Costa, and Zipeng Zhu
Special thanks to Brad Lander, Eric Goldstein, Jenn Laura Lee, Josh Klainberg, Sam Silver, SIMS Recycling, and Weiji Ma
Learn more at PlasticBagLaws.org
Follow Papel & Caneta Facebook: facebook.com/papelecaneta.org
