Americans love to throw things away. In fact, America is among the top in food waste production in the world. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an estimated 133 billion pounds of food is thrown away every year in America alone: and that’s not the only environmental issue that current generations need to worry about.

Returning for a fourth semester, the College of DuPage (COD) will host the Sustainability Film and Discussion Series, sharing a total of four environmental documentaries and movies. Each film is free and shown in Health and Science Center (HSC) 1234 at 7 p.m.

The goal is to use film as an educational tool to inform the audience of the pressing issues facing the planet, including the impacts of oil spills, the consequences of a fashion industry that doesn’t prioritize sustainability and the depleting bee population.

“We don’t have a choice; we must become actors in change,” said Deborah Adelman,  professor of english and co-director of the Community Education Farm.

The first of the four documentaries being shown is Wasted! The Story of Food Waste on March 6. This documentary aims to touch on the issue of food waste and how it contributes to climate change. This film is partnered with the One Earth Film Festival, a Chicagoland film festival that shows environmental documentaries in several venues in the area.

After the Spill on March 8 is also partnered with the One Earth Film Festival along with the Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission. The remaining titles include The True Cost on April 18 and Bee People on April 30.

The discussion to follow each documentary will allow the audience to interact with one another and talk about important aspects of creating a sustainable future. Faculty and experts on the topic can typically be found at the film screenings to help guide discussions and answer questions.

“More than anything, I hope that the films raise questions,” said Adelman. “It is not enough to attend a film screening, it is a start.”

The film series takes place every spring and fall semester. Some of the past titles shown include: Death by Design, the story of the massive technology industry, Switch, highlighting the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy and even Erin Brockovich, the story of a woman who decides to pursue a legal battle on a large corporation.

All students, faculty and community members are encouraged to attend the film series. Sustainability is not tied to one discipline, but rather all disciplines equally. It is a topic that will impact generations for years to come.

More information on the film series can be found a cod.edu/sustainability.