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Sustainable Lafayette will be presenting a special showing of "A Plastic Ocean," a visually stunning 90-minute movie about our global disposable lifestyle, the impact plastic is having on the oceans and how it affects marine life, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. A discussion will follow the screening. Money raised through ticket sales and donations will be used to help eliminate the use of plastic water bottles at the theater.
Town Hall Theatre Board Vice President Tom Stack explained the endeavor. He estimates that more than 4,000 bottles of water are sold at the theater each year and it is his goal that patrons will bring reuseable bottles which they will be able to refill from a brand new water bottle filling station to be installed by Kevin Burke of Valley Plumbing, paid for from the proceeds of this special movie night. Refillable bottles will also be available for purchase at the theater.
Stack recognizes that there will be loss of revenue for the theater but says that this is too important. He says that Town Hall Theatre wants to lead, to dare other local businesses to follow.
"In the current climate, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by dark news. But you can't quit. You have to do something. For our part, Town Hall realizes that we can effect change locally, by doing our part and more, to move things along...whether that is via education, action or exposure."
He points out that the following night is the seventh annual Lafayette Community Music Festival, when local musicians donate their talents for the benefit of the theater. "We are an arts community, and that is our focus, but we can also help on an environmental level. We are the Town Hall, we want to be the place that the community comes to for multiple resources and experiences."
The popular music festival will feature such musicians as Caroompas Room, Harrison Flynn, Way Fatt Reunion, (a tribute to Steve Sage & Steve Swan), Katy Lawrence Acoustic Trio and Meg Merry & The Locust Street Band.
Sustainable Lafayette Board Member Brad Crane says that by partnering up with THT, they have tapped into a wider group. He says it is about "Pushing the conversation."
"Americans use 135 million plastic water bottles and 500 million plastic straws every day. Only a fraction of that gets recycled. Much of it ends up in our waterways and ultimately our oceans."
He explains that this is the second event at THT. Their January screening of the film on global warming "Before the Flood" was so successful that THT was able to go "deep green," effectively allowing the theater to use all renewable energy for the next three years.
"Sustainable Lafayette is thrilled to partner again with Town Hall Theatre for another inspiring and educational film," Crane says. "'A Plastic Ocean' documents what our addiction to single-use plastic is doing to our marine ecosystems. Come and learn what we can do locally to have a positive impact."
Tickets are $10 and $5 for seniors and youth. Further details are available on the THT website, www.townhalltheatre.com.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA