The Story of Stuff

I've been away from the blog for the last week, so things have been quiet around here. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of interesting stuff to talk about. Today I'd like to share a video: The Story of Stuff.

Ok, the video might seem a bit like something you might be shown in a high school by the substitute teacher. But it's great information, and it's presented in an accessible and interesting way. Our friendly narrator, one Ms. Annie Leonard, guides us through a tour of our "system of stuff." Extraction to production to distribution to consumption to disposal. The video breaks down each step in the life of our material goods, and argues against the linear system that begins with using up natural resources and ends with waste disposed in a landfill. We have finite resources, says Ms. Leonard, and we can't afford to continue running a linear system on a finite planet. Eventually, everything will end up in a landfill! The solution? We need a system based on sustainability and equity, not consumption and disposal.

All right, enough of my synopsis -- check out the video for yourself. At 20:00 minutes running time, it's longer than your typical YouTube-length clip. In fact, it seems tailor-made for twenty minutes of watching, followed by ten minutes of answering questions on a worksheet, and twenty minutes of student-teacher discussion. Be that as it may, it's worth checking out. And if you are a teacher, I can't imagine an easier lesson than one based on The Story of Stuff.