On a positive note: we can be the change! Stop shopping and get involved. We can solve the environmental crisis, or least make things much better.
Read Annie's words and watch her video here.
The Story of Change by Annie Leonard
Right now I'm in Russia, teaching at the St. Petersburg State University. I showed this video yesterday to my Eco-feminism class and it made my students laugh out loud (yes, the video is FUNNY) and led us into some great conversations about what is happening in Russia in terms of consumerism post -Soviet Union. Food. You can't get organic food here! According to a local health food restauranteur things like "free range chicken" are a privilege only rich countries like the U.S. can demand. Ah yes, spoiled Americans. Nevertheless, I'm hungry! I can't find my greens--organic or not. I'll be blogging about that later this week.
It's not just Americans who have made consumerism their religion, it's much of the world these days. Remember the movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy? Remember what happens when a coke bottle falls from the sky? The coke bottle metaphor tells of what's happened to the world at large.
We're chasing after "garbage" ....and destroying the planet and ourselves!
Annie illustrates the high cost of the culture of consumerism.
Time to go back to basics: family, friends, gardening, hiking, swimming, talking, cooking, reading, playing, volunteering, making crafts-- non-consumerist activities. All the junk we buy ....devastates our resources worldwide, pollutes, makes us sick, exploits workers. Shopping does not satisfy our emotional needs. We've been sold a lie! It's a crap trap.
Annie shows this so clearly and with such humor in the The Story of Stuff. If you haven't seen it, watch that one first. Annie's site, The Story of Stuff Project (in general), is full of great environmental solutions. I recommend the whole site!
We can do something about it. The Story of Change shows us how.
Watch it. You'll laugh. You'll be inspired!
Read Annie's words and watch her video here.
The Story of Change by Annie Leonard
Right now I'm in Russia, teaching at the St. Petersburg State University. I showed this video yesterday to my Eco-feminism class and it made my students laugh out loud (yes, the video is FUNNY) and led us into some great conversations about what is happening in Russia in terms of consumerism post -Soviet Union. Food. You can't get organic food here! According to a local health food restauranteur things like "free range chicken" are a privilege only rich countries like the U.S. can demand. Ah yes, spoiled Americans. Nevertheless, I'm hungry! I can't find my greens--organic or not. I'll be blogging about that later this week.
It's not just Americans who have made consumerism their religion, it's much of the world these days. Remember the movie, The Gods Must Be Crazy? Remember what happens when a coke bottle falls from the sky? The coke bottle metaphor tells of what's happened to the world at large.
We're chasing after "garbage" ....and destroying the planet and ourselves!
Annie illustrates the high cost of the culture of consumerism.
Time to go back to basics: family, friends, gardening, hiking, swimming, talking, cooking, reading, playing, volunteering, making crafts-- non-consumerist activities. All the junk we buy ....devastates our resources worldwide, pollutes, makes us sick, exploits workers. Shopping does not satisfy our emotional needs. We've been sold a lie! It's a crap trap.
Annie shows this so clearly and with such humor in the The Story of Stuff. If you haven't seen it, watch that one first. Annie's site, The Story of Stuff Project (in general), is full of great environmental solutions. I recommend the whole site!
We can do something about it. The Story of Change shows us how.
Watch it. You'll laugh. You'll be inspired!
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