The Story of Stuff – What We Buy, Where it Comes From, and How We Throw it Away

I recently heard an interview on public radio WLRN with Annie Leonard, an activist who produced a video called The Story of Stuff. She explains the impact of how consumer goods are produced, distributed, sold and thrown away. I was amazed to learn that the toxins in our computers and other electronics are part of the cost of the product, but the cost is “externalized” by the manufacturing company; this means when it is time to replace your old equipment, the company does not have to take it back to dispose of the toxic elements properly, but we have to do it – either by taking it to the dump or having our city and local government pick it up as hazardous waste. That costs us and our local governments, but it is not part of the cost for the manufacturer, nor is it part of the advertised price of the item.

It seems like many electronics are cheap; we can buy radios for a few bucks, laptops are down to about $600 in some cases, video cameras are cheaper than a few years ago too. All these products came from somewhere. That’s what Leonard explains – the people who made it, how little they are paid, what their work conditions are like, how the products are sold to us with marketing and advertising that is aimed at our desire to always have the newest and latest thing, and how many products are designed to break or fall apart quickly so we will have to buy new ones. All of this makes up the real cost of the item.

Leonard pinpoints this shift in the U.S. economy to right after World War II, when the prosperity and value of our society was defined according to how many consumer goods were sold.

She makes suggestions for altering the cycle of production and disposal that is damaging our planet and our health. She raises questions about package design I never thought about such as – why does a tube of toothpaste come in a box? Take a look at her video (it’s about 20 minutes long) and see what you think:

http://www.storyof stuff.com