The Art Theater in downtown Champaign will be playing a documentary Tuesday about the impact of single-use plastic bags. The environmental documentary, “Bag It,” will be followed by a panel discussion consisting of professors and directors of eco-friendly organizations in Champaign-Urbana.

Local retailer Champaign Surplus and Common Ground Food Co-op will be co-hosting the screening of the documentary.

“We were really taken with the film,” said Shira Epstein, owner of Champaign Surplus. “And (we) thought it was a worthwhile event to bring to Champaign.”

The documentary follows a man who wants to know about what happens to a plastic bag and finds out that these bags end up in our oceans, not in our landfills.

Epstein said all proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Prairie Rivers Network, which is a Champaign not-for-profit organization meant to educate people about waterways in Illinois.

Stephanie Adams, membership and communications director at Prairie Rivers Network, said the local organization focuses on water issues statewide, helps maintain healthy rivers and works for clean waters in general.

Adams said two-thirds of Prairie Rivers Network’s budget is supported through grants. The rest of the budget is privately funded and is meant to respond to emergencies in water quality.

“A lot of what we do is supported by people to address critical needs as they arise,” she said.

Adams said the panel after the film will talk about going bagless on an individual and business level. She added that the panel will further discuss plastics in our environment, what cities can do through taxes and ordinances to reduce bag usage and the health effects of plastics on the body.

“We tried to come up with a panel to address all types of questions,” Adams said.

She said Champaign Surplus was personally inspired by the film and wanted to bring it to a wider audience.

“We’re hoping for a good turnout. It seems to be a subject of interest to people,” Adams said. “I would be thrilled to see a full house.”

Epstein said Champaign Surplus, for example, is limiting the use of single-use plastic bags in the store and implementing a new bag program, where people can bring their own bags to shop. Also, the store will have new paper bags made out of 100 percent recycled Kraft paper with environmentally friendly ink and glue, which are completely compostable, Epstein said.

The Common Ground Food Co-op has been making strides to reduce plastic bag usage as well.

Jacqueline Hannah, general manager at the co-op, said the store is a locally owned business with 3,000 owners, and the mission is to bring local, organic foods to the community. Being an owner requires shopping at least once a year at the co-op and buying a share of the store. Since Jan. 1, the co-op has not been using plastic bags at all because of an advisory vote in 2010, where 92 percent of customers surveyed supported the bagless initiative, Hannah said.

A simple step consumers on an individual level can make is to use reusable bags because it is an effective change to make in the community, she added.

“It can make a huge difference. That’s an easy first step,” Hannah said. “It’s such an easy way to make a difference.”