The Story of Stuff

       In class we watched a video called, The Story of Stuff. It was a short twenty minute clip of the world and the environment and resources in which we live and consume. It was quite interesting because I’d never gone into deep thought of where our products are made or what happens to it after we are done using them. There were different notes I took from the video that really interested me.

       First off, more than fifty percent of our tax money goes to the military. That’s quite a bit of money that could be shortened a little to help provide better means or be used toward our environment to ensure better living. We are also using too much stuff. By this, I mean that we are five percent of the world’s population. However, we are using thirty percent of the world’s resources. We are using too much and are leaving little left for everyone else. If everyone consumed at U.S. rates, we would end up needing three to five planets. But we only have one!

       The United States has less than four percent of its forests left. Eighty percent of the forests first here are now gone. It is pretty sad that eighty percent of the forests are gone. That’s a big percentage.

       In the products we use today, over one hundred thousand synthetic chemicals are being put into them. We don’t know what’s in these products. Only a handful have been tested for health impacts, but none have been tested with the materials they are combined with. Toxins are being put into production and being mixed with natural resources, and we have no idea what the outcome may be.

       Over four billion pounds of toxic chemicals are polluted each year. All we do is shop. We are the major consumers and it is affecting our environment and the natural resources we have left to support the world.

       This fact really shocked me: Ninety-nine percent of what we harvest is trashed within six months. That’s crazy! In just six months, we get rid of ninety-nine percent of what we’ve gotten. It is such a waste when you think about it. If we really needed these products, why do we get rid of them so quickly without any hesitation?  

       House sizes have doubled since the 1970’s. That is not a lot of time from then until now and house sizes have DOUBLED! We consume twice as much than we did fifty years ago. All of these major changes taking place so rapidly only confirm more the fact that our resources are quickly running out, and if nothing gets done then nothing will be left for us to survive.

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8