So when I moved to DC, I joined the Surfrider foundation. Surfrider is about keeping access to surf spots, so rich people don't buy up all the land in front of the surf, and so they don't send their golden feces down the pipes into our lineup.

During my first meeting, I met Charles Allen, who is Chief of Staff for Tommy Wells, a DC council member. Charles introduced us to the Anacostia Protection Act. The act is designed to eliminate plastic bags and help clean up the Anacostia River by placing a five cent tax on bags at stores. Charles has his shit together and was knowledgeable and an interesting speaker.

I immediately became inspired to film a PSA for the cause. I enlisted the help of Evan Pease, the video editor/cameraman/sound guy at Arnold. It's funny agencies always have only one of these guys because they're extremely useful. We could use about 10.

Here's our final project:


Anacostia Protection Act from Protect The Anacostia on Vimeo.

The process itself was interesting. The first script I wrote was overly ambitious for what we could accomplish. I had also written all kinds of sensational copy. Luckily, I decided to get rid of it, go with the facts, and shoot a straightforward piece.

I learned a ton about plastic and our environment. I learned about how it gets in the food chain, and we're the top of the food chain, so the plastic gets in us. It affects our endocrine system, which is how we reproduce. Anyway, the interviews are intriguing, give you different perspectives, and I hope inspire you to hate plastic as much as I do.

Jim Connolly, Executive Director of the Anacostia Watershed Society

Anacostia Protection Act Interview - Director of AWS from Protect The Anacostia on Vimeo.

Dan Davala, Manager of Orvis Fishing Store

Anacostia Protection Act Interview - Manager of Orvis from Protect The Anacostia on Vimeo.

Julie Lawson, Chairman Surfrider DC

Anacostia Protection Act Interview - Surfrider DC from Protect The Anacostia on Vimeo.