The Dangers of Single-Use Plastic Video Project Co-Produced and Written by GreenGrace Volunteers

By Dick Williams, GreenGrace Co-lead

During the 90-day Maryland Legislative session each year the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland holds its Episcopal Advocacy Day in February. That afternoon, Bishop Sutton introduced GreenGrace Co-lead Dick Williams to the Diocesan Comm Team, telling us he’d “love” to have a video for the Convention on one of his biggest environmental concerns, the ubiquitous single-use disposable water bottle.

“I’d like to show a video on that topic at the Diocesan Convention. Can you do it?” Turning my attention to the Comm Team he’d assembled for introductions, I met Carrie Graves, Canon for Communications, Jason Hoffman and Jessica Pandolfino. “These good people can do whatever it takes…,” or words to that effect. Carrie, Jason and Jess all shook their heads in agreement, offering assuring smiles.

At a subsequent meeting of GreenGrace volunteers and the Comm Team to sketch out the proposed 3-minute video, we brain-stormed about what the video might look like and how thematic elements would become our script. But, when down to it, who’d write the script? From the GreenGrace volunteers assembled, Paul Smail said he’d try it if he could get some help from Bernadette Roche, Co-lead, and me. We all smiled. Then, who’d do the voiceover? Well, after hesitating a moment, Bernadette turned to Paul again saying, “You’ve got a nice base voice that’d sound great.” I seconded. Carrie offered, “You can do it, and we’ll help you.” Paul tilted his head back a bit, then chuckled. This GreenGrace project was admirably packaged and otherwise supported by the Diocese Comm Team.

Since then, I like to introduce Paul sometimes as actor and screenwriter. His actual job is Staff Litigation Attorney for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Here’s what was shown at the Convention.