The Story Of Stuff

Someone alerted me to this site called StoryOfStuff.com.  Instead of writing about what it is, here is that their site says:
The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns, with a special focus on the United States. All the stuff in our lives, beginning from the extraction of the resources to make it, through its production, sale, use and disposal, affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues and calls for all of us 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

I’ve had this conversation a number of times.  Usually the conversation has to do with food and how food sucks in America since 1970 because we want everything cheaper and faster.  I pick out 1970 because that is about the time that corn syrup was introduced into everything and fast-food really took off.  The real cost of food if you want to eat healthy food that isn’t loaded with chemicals and sprayed with who-knows-what is expensive.  You could liken it to the cost of a university from in-state tuition to out-of-state tuition.  Generally the out-of-state costs are the real costs (not always true – many factors involved – I know – shhh).

These videos talk about the real cost of stuff.  What went into the manufacturing?  What labor practices were used?  How did the product get to the shelf?  Things that make you go hmmmm.

Enjoy the teasers… The full 20min documentary is on YouTube.