The Story of Stuff

[Bob Harris]

The Story of Stuff

How Our Problem with Overconsumption Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities and Our Health--and What to Do About It

This is a very interesting, scary but also hopefull view on our nowadays (global) culture, our social and enviromental behavior and our values. I know that explaining a topic that complex in 20-minutes is more than difficult and mostly at least a little polemic and propagandistic. But this little flick stes things in perspective. I really enjoyed it although "enjoying" isn't the right expression, but it does have some moments that make you laugh. This is how the project explains itself:

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

If you do have the time give it a try. I think it's worth. At least mentioning.

____

Edit: I hope this one isn't too religion & politics?!?

Edited August 14, 2009 by Bob Harris

[NorthRaider]

Pretty interesting stuff Bob! Haven't brushed up on these sort of subjects in a while... Kind of reminds me of Joel Bakan's "The Corporation".

[Lobsterman]

It is a great little movie, and makes you think about how our own obsession is rather near the top of the list of "wasteful and laughably unnecessary uses of natural resources." I was actually musing over this as I filled an entire trashcan with empty packaging during my post-Comic-Con toy orgy.

I try not to think about it when I'm tearing open a new pack of Minimates...

Edited August 14, 2009 by Lobsterman

[luke314pi]

I also enjoyed this, as much as something this serious can be enjoyed. The area of my life where i have noticed this subject the most is in food packaging. Over the last few years, my family has switched to making almost everything from scratch. This has reduced our weekly trash by at least 50%, if not more. We switched mostly for health concerns about the quality of packaged food, but the reduced trash output was a nice added bonus.

[Bob Harris]

Packaging really is a big problem. I am glad, that our government did a few things to reduce a lot of waste. As a result of a petition for a referendum, shops have to take the packages of stuff back right after you bought it. If you like. That means you can leave most of the trash in the stores - from the plastic foils CDs do come with to cardboard boxes most other things are sold in. Since most stores weren't really glad about that decision, they forced the companies to pack their stuff in less wrappings and packages. That really is a pretty good thing.

And most stores replaced the plastic bags you carry your stuff home with bags made of recycled paper. Another cool trend is that many young people buy fabric bags to carry their stuff. It did become kind of a fashion and style thing. You see a lot of hip teenagers and young adults in the streets with fabric bags with pretty cool designs in the streets here.

I guess the most important point is to realize that this actually is a problem at all.

And I really like your idea Luke!

[NorthRaider]

I see what you mean Bob: we're trying to implement the reusable bags trend here too, though ironically it's mostly just the common people who shop at the big supermarkets who use them. Us "young people" oddly still find using with the reusable cloth bags "uncool", meanwhile I'm probably one of the few people actively trying to espouse plastic bags altogether (with mixed results).

There was this local food chain here that took a terrific approach to the packaging problem though: whenever you order something for takeout, instead of using plastic or styrofoam plates they'd wrap the food in banana leaves and brown paper so at least they'd be used for compost. It was actually a traditional method used by people from the provinces, but this was one of the few chains that had enough common sense to reintroduce them to an urban setting

[buttheadsmate]

Of course we all have to accept that we are all part of the problem & I agree with many of the valid points made in the movie . We ought to change our ways but I'm afraid the big corporations won't let us.

However I am always cheesed off with the urban-myth that says that "cutting all those trees down to make paper is terrible" & " they cut down rain-forests just to make packaging like cardboard don't they ?" In reality paper-manufacturers plant more SOFT-wood forests than any other sector & the HARD-wood from rain-forests is virtually useless in cost-effective paper manufacture. Sustainable softwood forests are cropped in an organised manner which would put many other industries to shame. The movie didn't actually name & shame the paper industry but the inference was obvious & is total bollocks .

I don't know about the other points made & I'm willing to be convinced but I'm not a mushroom kept in the dark & I don't therefore 'eat' bullshit....... willingly.

Edited August 16, 2009 by buttheadsmate