The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard
We are a consumer society with a throwaway mindset. Please watch this video
about how this has come about. It is called “The
Story of Stuff”. It is 20 minutes long but once you start watching it, you can’t stop.
Set aside the time to watch it. It will affect your consumer habits. You have a
short summary here if you can’t watch it right now.
The video is about our consumer economy and the impact it is having on our
planet. There are 5 parts:
1. Extraction of resources - This is about how we cut forests, foul
water, use energy, blow up mountains to get our stuff. Much of this is done in
the so-called third world where regulations are lax and people who are
extremely poor will work for next to nothing.
2. Production of stuff - This is about how we use energy and synthetic
chemicals along with extracted resources to make toxic products.
3. Distribution of stuff - Corporations have retail stores that keep prices down so that we consumers will buy
more stuff. But at what costs? Workers have low pay and no health insurance.
Workers in poor countries work under unregulated conditions. Children are some
of these workers.
4. Consumption of stuff - In our society we are valued by how much we
consume. We have an economy that is powered by the consumer. Ninety nine percent of all products are
no longer in use just 6 months after purchase. Planned obsolescence makes sure
of this. Perceived obsolescence also makes sure of this. New fashions come out
every season to make us think that our old stuff is no good so we must buy new
stuff.
5. Disposal of stuff - Americans produce 4.5 pounds of garbage per day.
That is twice as much as 30 years ago. Recycling helps but it is not enough. For
every can of garbage, 70 cans were generated just
to produce that one can we throw out. So most of the waste is generated before
consumption of the stuff!
What can we do? We must start thinking about what we buy and the affect it has on the
planet. The way we are behaving is not sustainable and will destroy our
environment.
GLOBALISATION
GLOBALISATION is the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. We now communicate, trade, travel and share each other’s cultures more easily around the world. It is a term used to describe the way countries are becoming more interconnected, both economically and culturally.
It means that it is possible to produce a
product anywhere, using resources from anywhere, by a company located anywhere
to be sold anywhere.
How global are you?
