"I own one share of the corporate Earth, and I'm uneasy about the management." - E. B. White
My friend Paul sent me this link and I wanted to share it with you all. The Story of Stuff is a 20 minute animated video that explains in very simple terms the relationship between our unsustainable lifestyles and the world in which we live. It's a really good demonstration of how we are part of the system that is harming the planet.
For instance, did you know that the average lifespan of a product purchased in the US is less than 6 months? Or that in the last 30 years we have consumed 1/3 of the planets resources? Just by these two facts alone, you can see it's an unsustainable model and in order for our children to have a future, we need to change our paths now.
So sit down with your honey, grab a cup of fair trade shade grown french pressed coffee, and check it out. It's a bit heavy, but that's because it's honest. It's an education, but one that's needed and in my opinion, a longtime coming. For those of you who lean to the right of the political spectrum, I'll ask you to take the few political moments with a grain of salt (if need be) and recognize the importance of the overall piece.
Oh and if the flash is running slow, you can download it to your computer here. And when you're done, don't forget to check out the list of 10 things to do right now.
Live Sustainably
Dave
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The Story Of Stuff
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3 comments:
Hey Dave!
First post here. Thanks for the initiative your making with this blog.
One thought on Holiday Stuff. Our family is doing a 'Yankee Swap' again this year, at least for the adults.. where everyone who is playing brings one wrapped gift only, often with a price-limit of some $5-20, and when it's 'presents' time, everyone pulls a number, or goes in order around a circle, and one at a time each gets to pick a gift from the pile. The First person opens whatever they pick, from then on, everyone else has the option of either Opening their pick, or Swapping it with one of the previously opened gifts, a gift that is in someone else's lap, and which that person had already started thinking they 'owned'.. They don't have a choice but to give up their booty for the unopened package, whatever it may contain. It is a great game for being brutally honest, and for not getting too attached to the 'stuff'. It's really about the interaction.
Finally, the person who picked first gets to go around the room and swap theirs for WHICHEVER other giftie they might like best.
Of course, often enough, I've seen the final stage of swapping after all was said and done, when people see that 'this one makes more sense for you, and that one for me..' etc.
But Honestly, I've never laughed so much opening Christmas Presents! There's nothing like the 'threat of loss' to spark up a game!
Bob Fiske in Maine
(This year's 'cheats', ie, where I'm actually giving people a couple gifts OUTSIDE the swap game, includes a 'speed-dried' bunch of Apple-firewood for my mom who heats with wood, and Apple is said to be a very good firewood, and certain homemade items from the shop and the sewing machine. Homemade is always best!)
Of course, giving to causes in peoples' names is great, as is giving to Libraries, or offering a 'service', like helping dad clean out the garage to find donatable items for charities. (Which is also great as it is something to do Together with your people.. too much isolation!) rf
What moments are iffy for a conservative, beyond the entire piece being a demolition of economic liberalism (18th-21st-century versions) in twenty minutes?
The burden of counterargument is on anyone, no matter how he or she self-labels politically, who wants to maintain this accelerating path to destruction.
Hey Bob, welcome to the blog. Great way to celebrate gift giving without adding to the whole "stuff" equation. Can I copy your comment and post it by itself as I think people would get a kick out of it and not as many people read the comments.
dave
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