The Story of Stuff is a video that lasts for about 20 minutes. If you can find the time, it’s an interesting presentation, and will definitely give you something to think about, especially at this hyper-consumption-oriented time of year.
###
About
Hello! I'm Alice, which is my real name (most of the other names here have been changed, though, to protect the innocent). I live in an circa-100-year-old house in downtown Chattanooga, TN with my first husband, G-Dog (who is from New Canaan, CT), and a cockapoo named Nonnie (the moniker comes from a Laurens van der Post book). We have one kid (that we know of) -- a daughter, Emmie, who recently graduated from college and moved out on her own (keep your eyes open and you might spot her at some point, twirling joyously right before she tosses her hat in the air).
I originally hale from Batavia, NY, a quiet little town in rural western New York. G-Dog and I met while attending college in Carlisle, PA, and then moved on to Chapel Hill, NC together before finally settling in Tennessee. Other places we've lived in long enough to have a mailing address include London and San Francisco.
This blog is about a lot of things -- the places I visit, things I cook, people I meet, photos I take, things I read, and -- of course, politics. I'm an unrepentant, arugula-eating, progressive, liberal, lefty, euro-loving, educated elitist (yes!! bring on gay marriage, give us a single-payer, completely socialized health care system, and replace the stupid war on drugs with legal, regulated, uber-taxed marijuana -- and some very handy industrial hemp!).
Polls
Loading ...
I saw that. It’s very well done, and provokes much thought.
Thanks for posting this. I couldn’t help but feel a little depressed tho. The change of minds and hearts required to implement a sustainable system seems so beyond reach.
Baby steps, Fletch. DD just told me the other day that the most hard-core conservative friend she has recently admitted that global warming isn’t just part of some left-wing conspiracy, but is a very real problem.
I had seen this already. I’m glad it’s being seen by so many.
I didn’t know the background for consumerism, and thought that was rather scary. (And did you notice the time correlation between increased shopping -> decreased happiness -> increased obesity?)
I have never shopped for shopping’s sake and buy less now than I used to. Still, I live in a country that imports the majority of its food and goods and very little of it is shipped via our electric trains. A great deal of it comes via container ships all the way from Asia.
After seeing this, I think I’ll be looking more closely at where the stuff I buy originates from. Unfortunately, I know I can’t avoid imports.