The Story of (too much) Stuff
by Kelly
The other day my cousin and I watched this video called the “Story of Stuff.” While the 20 minute length may seem daunting, the video itself is quite gripping and absolutely worthwhile. It details the havoc consumerism is wreaking on our environment & our planet. The video has simultaneously angered me, motivated me to work harder to be green, and cured me of the tendency to use retail therapy as a method of achieving happiness.
I urge you to view this video. If it leaves questions in your mind, read Annie Leonard’s book that is coming out sometime soon. The Story of Stuff website also lists “10 Little and Big Things You Can Do.”
I sent this video to many of my family members and friends. While many responded saying that they were moved by the video and sent it to everyone they knew, one relative said that he thought the video was propaganda and that he thought Wal-mart was a great “cooperative” that benefited everyone involved with it. I thought it might be useful to post an edited version of my response to him (and the rest of my family):
“Goodness! I certainly did not expect to spark this debate.
The point of the video is to get a message across, an important one. Okay, so it’s propaganda. Is all propaganda bad? Sure, to get a message across succinctly and to reach as many people as possible, the message must be simplified. Notice the video is 20 minutes long. It could be so much longer, but who would have the time to watch it?
There is a simple solution to this debate: The woman is coming out with a book on the subject. You want to see where she got her facts? Why don’t you get the book from the library when it comes out? She does mention that 10 years of research went into this project and I’d wager that she does have the evidence to support her claims.
Even if her facts are exaggerated (which I don’t think is true) — does it matter? The point she makes is an important one: sustainability is one of the most important causes in our lifetime. She is right — our Earth is a finite place. We don’t have endless resources. We cannot continue to trash our planet, cut down trees, dump our trash in landfills and harmful incinerators. I am actually reading an interesting book on garbage at the moment, and it supports much of what this woman is speaking about.
I consider you all to be intellectual, thoughtful individuals. What is so disappointing to me about reading these emails is that you are getting bogged down by the small stuff. Nitpicking over whether we are using 30% of the world’s resources or 1% doesn’t get us anywhere! What we must do is act.
We must change the way we see the world. We act as if we are entitled to that new ipod or that new sofa. We think we’re entitled to go to the store and buy whatever we can afford. Yet, we ignore the fact that we are exploiting the environment and the workers hired to produce our affordable goods.
I watched a documentary about Chinese factory workers employed by Wal-mart. They were young people who moved to cities from their homes in order to try to make money. They work for ridiculously low wages, they are housed in cramped tenement-style dormitories and separated by gender. So, women can’t live with their husbands, they wash their clothing in dirty sinks in their cramped rooms and they share bunks with other women. They work long hours and get practically no vacation time in which to see the family they are sending money to. All so that we can have our affordable goods.
We are not bystanders in this dilemma. We are actors in this exploitation. We have agency, more agency than most people in so-called “Third World countries”. What are you doing with this agency? You are plugging into your nice computer (was it purchased in the last 5 years?), sipping from your coffee mug in the comfort of your home and debating whether or not the environment is truly in danger. Rhetoric can’t help us now. We need action.”
Whether or not you have watched the video, you might be asking…”What can I do about the state of the environment? I’m just one person.” There is so much one person can do, and here are my suggestions:
Read this article about eco-friendly fashion, or how to change the world from your computer, and finally, watch the “Story of Stuff” and explore the website. We have to work together to save our planet.
- Dollface
What are you reactions to the video? What do you do personally to be more green? Please share your thoughts.
At the beginning of 2008 I moved in with my maternal grandmother and noticed that, like my mother, she never had the right clothes for the outfit she wanted. So I decided to give up now. If my mother has been complaining all her life that ‘nothing works’ and my grandmother (at 70) is still complaining, then I have no chance of having the perfect wardrobe.
When I considered this video and all I know about sweatshops (and even more extreme, slave labour), it wasn’t worth it to try and attain the unattainable. So I stopped buying clothes.
Seriously in the last 10 months the only clothes that I have added to my wardrobe is a pair of Docs, which were actually bought for me as a birthday present, and a band tshirt which I really wanted and I figured was alright because it supports a band I love.
It is amazing how I don’t need to buy clothes (and how cheap it is). Now to work on not buying other stuff as well.
Continue to spread the word. The factual details of the video could be argued, but it doesn’t change the truth … we are consuming more than we can afford, both from a sustainability and economic perspective. North Americans especially.
And for the Wal-mart lover … please … Wal-mart is in business for one reason and only one reason: their shareholders. Another video to watch and share:
http://blog.dabydeen.com/2008/12/corporation.html
I thought the video was really interesting. I’d taken a World Ecological Problems and Man class this past semester, and basically, that 20 minute video summarized half of my class lectures in a more interesting manner…those animations were cute.
My mom and I have been trying to become more green. We’ve been doing small things, like changing to energy efficient light bulbs, using water-saving shower heads, unplugging everything when we’re away for long weekends/vacations, using a programed thermostat (the heater is set to 60 degrees when no one is home, and when people are home, it’s set to 70) eating organic food (and in the summer, some locally grown fruits and veggies).
My family is also really big into recycling. I don’t know what it’s like in other states, but Michigan charges a 10 cent tax on soda/beer bottles and cans; consumers can bring the cans and such back to the stores, toss them into machines and get their 10 cents back for each can. That seems to really encourage people to recycle. Wish we had curbside recycling pick up like we had when we lived in other states though. Individuals have to drive their stuff the the recycling Refuse, and I think many people are too lazy to drive to dump their recycling.
My dad tries to recycle everything, even though a lot of the plastics he tries to get rid of are not accepted by the Refuse.
Personally, I’d like to work on borrowing books from the library rather than buying new books; I think that’s one of the ways I do the most damage.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but this website (http://50waystohelp.com/) also gives some ideas for little changes in life that can benefit the world in a big way.
@ groovyjoss – That’s admirable that you have been able to stop shopping for clothes. I know I have a clothing addiction (although shopping at thrift stores makes me feel less guilty about it). Good luck reducing your consumption in other areas!
@ Andy Dabydeen – Thanks for the sharing the video. Wal-mart is truly abhorrent and I can’t believe my uncle actually supports what they are doing.
@ Jackie – Yeah, I have curbside recycling pick up in my home state and at college we have many recycling bins everywhere. I hadn’t heard of the “50 ways to help” site, thanks for sharing.
[...] Story of Cosmetics July 26, 2010 by Kelly From the creator of The Story of Stuff…this should be mandatory [...]