The Story Of Stuff

I saw this 20 minute on-line video and was completely awoken. I am guilty of going shopping and buying things just because they are on sale, never to be worn and eternally to hang in my closet, until one day I do a clean out and it ends up at the Salvation Army or Goodwill or sometimes even the garbage depending on the state of it.

"The Story of Stuff" with Annie Leonard is an incredible video which takes you through what is called our "materials economy" which tracks things that we get at the store back to its creation and also explains what happens to it after we dispose of it. It's pretty shocking! It explains how in the US today, our corporations have become bigger than the government, and why we have 5% of the world's population but use 30% of its resources.

Some interesting facts from the video are:

• The most toxic food in our society today is breast milk!
  
• 99% of the things we buy will be trashed with in 6 months of purchase
  
• Planned obsolescence and Perceived obsolescence and why when you don't have the "newest" "coolest " or most "fashionable" we are made to feel like big losers
• After WWII the government and economists got together and decided that the only way America would remain on top was if the citizens were constantly consuming...this was implemented just as our national happiness began to decline which is currently at an all time low!

Watch this clip and see what you can do to be a part of the solution. I am trying to really be mindful of the purchases I make and ask myself "is this something I NEED?". Let me know your thoughts and if this video struck a chord with you too!