Documentaries always have to be taken with a grain of salt. After all, most of them are presented from a particular point of view, and have their own agenda to push forward. Plastic People, the new documentary exploring the dangers of microplastics, thankfully doesn’t have too much of an agenda at all. It’s informative and insightful, and avoids becoming too alarmist or preachy while giving us the facts. It does however try to get us wanting to act and make changes to benefit the world as a whole.

The first half of Plastic People gives us science and history lessons. It informs us what plastics and microplastics are, and how they are hurting not only our environment, but our own bodies as well. It’s pretty shocking to learn how much this plastic invader has inserted itself into our lives. It’s even more shocking to learn how it never disappears, even though it gets smaller and smaller. The documentary shows us how we can find this man-made substance throughout our bodies. This, by the way, includes in our bloodstream and major organs. The directors show their intentions in the first half of the documentary. This half comes off a history lesson and draw you in. Meanwwhile, they meant for the second half to change your view on the world around you and get you to act.

If the first act of Plastic People is meant you think with your brain, the second act wants you to think with your heart.  While they don’t ask us to do anything so drastic as to abandon the throwaway lifestyle altogether and go back to more sustainable practises, they do show us things we can do to help improve the situation. They show us examples of how people are really making a change, and how it benefits everyone. They show us how small steps can lead to big improvements.

The facts and information of Plastic People are things to remember. However, it’s the co-director and star of the film Ziya Tong who really helps the film stand out.  She hosted Discovery’s Daily Planet for 10 years. And she has proven time and time again that she’s knowledgeable on the subjects she talks about. Her presence alone makes you want to listen to what she has to say. But you stick around for more reasons than that. Over the last two decades Tong has proven herself to be a real expect in the field of microplastics.

Plastic People fits into the same category as other environmental documentaries such as An Inconvenient Truth. It shows the facts, and leads us down a road that makes us think about our choices. It never attempts to change our mind for us. In fact it would rather you change your mind for yourself.  It even lets us know that even if we entirely cut out using plastics in our everyday life, microplastics will still be around us. That’s not as depressing as it sounds either, as making small acts of change can still help for a better tomorrow.