Putting Garbage! Back Into Movies
Jody Sanderson, OakvilleToday.ca
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Ward 5 Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll is putting his money where his mouth is. Actually, he’s putting garbage where his mouth is and it’s not jaded political rhetoric.

Knoll is owner/operator of Encore Cinemas in Oakville, where a special screening of the documentary Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home will be presented Wednesday, December 12 at 7:30 pm.

“After seven years on council, I think I’ve worked pretty hard to ensure that environmental principles are built into our policies and procedures,” says Knoll. “For example, we introduced Green Bins to Oakville with a pilot project in my ward. Politicians have valuable resources at their fingertips to make changes to legislation, to by-laws. But at some point, people have to realize that conservation depends on the end user and it’s difficult to get people to buy into it.”

Which is what he’s hoping to do by airing Garbage! According to Knoll, writer/director Andrew Nisker convinced a Toronto family of two parents and three kids between the ages of 7 years and 10 months, to keep every scrap of garbage for a period of 90 days. The McDonalds stored everything from organic waste to plastic bags in their garage. Following a backward journey of the McDonald’s energy use from coal, the viewer eventually winds up in the state of Virginia and the impacts are staggering. The film is a not so subtle reminder that our environmental footprints are large, and mostly ugly.

“What struck me most about this film,” says Knoll, “is that it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a creative expression about the environment that puts the onus on the individual, rather than the government.”
Knoll is not charging for the one time screening of the film and he is especially pleased that Andrew Nisker will be available at the screening, and will offer a Q and A session after the film.

“This is not about a piece of my business,” he explains. “I just believe that since I’m in the position, I can provide this resource. I’m a fellow occupant of this Town and this planet. It’s as simple as that.”

To learn more, please visit http://garbage.bravenewtheaters.com. Admission is free, however, please RSVP by going to http://garbage.bravenewtheaters.com/screening/show/10109.