The Clean Bin Project

What would it be like to go for a year without buying any “stuff”? Is it possible to live without generating trash? Canadian filmmakers Jenny Rustemeyer and Grant Baldwin took up these challenges, making it through an entire 12 months with just a few pounds of waste (like broken dishes) that couldn't be recycled or composted. The couple also took responsibility for everything they touched, taking home scraps from restaurant meals to add to the compost bin, and even adding to the container for non-recyclables a piece of plastic that stuck to Baldwin's shoe while he was out walking. The Clean Bin Project tells the story of how the pair accomplished this feat, interweaving interviews and field trips—to the farmers market and the landfill, for example—along the way. Added to the mix are shocking factoids, such as the claim that 1 million plastic cups are consumed every six hours just on U.S. airlines. Speaking of plastic, the most compelling revelation here is just how much plastic is floating free in the world's oceans, which is often ingested by fish and other species (the remains of an albatross on Midway Island—the remotest part of the Pacific—decomposing around a tangle of plastic that was inside the bird's gut is a wrenching and unforgettable image). DVD extras include a behind-the-scenes segment with Rustemeyer and Baldwin and an extended interview with Seattle environmental photographer Chris Jordan. Covering some of the same material as Bag It (VL-5/12) and No Impact Man (VL-3/10), The Clean Bin Project includes both the full-length version and a 53-minute educational cut. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Gardner)