Eco Stories with Emmy Award Winning Director

# Introducing Emmy-Winning Director Heather Leigh Gustafson @heatherlgustafson

New Update: Heather will be attending today's screening!

Heather directed Trashy, part of our lineup of Indie Film Series Eco Stories on April 2nd at McMenamin's Kennedy School.

Synopsis
One of the easiest ways to help the planet is by giving up every single piece of disposable plastic in your life. And it's the only way to battle the growing plastic pollution problem churning away in our oceans right now. TRASHY is a feature-length documentary following the film's director over the course of a year as she gives up trash for 365 days. It's not always easy, and sometimes it's actually funny to watch her struggle her way through a year of zero-waste. Hopefully, the film inspires others to make small changes in their daily lives and work towards a less trashy future. And if nothing else, you'll laugh watching her struggle to set up a worm compost in her one-bedroom apartment.

Heather's Biogaraphy
Heather Gustafson is an accomplished television news journalist and independent film director. Heather's groundbreaking documentary, TRASHY: A Zero Waste Film, won several awards, including "Best Environmental Documentary'' at the 2022 Chesapeake Film Festival, and was called “life-changing” by the Portland Film Festival.
Heather has a decade of television and film experience and is an EMMY award-winning journalist for her 2020 Black Lives Matter protests coverage.
Heather founded Buttonwood Films, a production company based in Washington, DC. She currently works as a Freelance News Reporter for WTOP. She was invited to speak at the International Leadership Program in partnership with the US State Department, discussing ways the media can help influence climate change laws.
She holds a BA degree from Lynn University and is obtaining an MA from Pepperdine University. She is active in Beautify Van Ness Main Street, making her neighborhood more sustainable. In her free time, she practices yoga and plays golf and tennis.

She currently lives in Washington, DC.

Come to tonight’s screening which starts at 6 pm at McMenamin’s Kennedy School Theater and ask questions about living zero waste during the film’s Q&A period.