This entry was posted on Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 10:48am and is filed under Parenting, Media and information, Economics, Environment, Food Production. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
At the risk of getting a reputation as an non-consumer (does that make me anti-American?), I want to draw your attention to The Story of Stuff. My friends at Greener Visions Farms sent me the link. They are including CDs with it in their Christmas cards this year.
I’m not sure I buy everything being said in the video, but in the week since it captured my attention for a full 20 minutes, I find myself thinking a LOT about how much we buy, use (or don’t use) and throw away. Is our society and economy really dependent on continually increasing our consumption?
On another level, I wonder how much our throw-away culture is reflected in our relationships and family structure. At this time of year, it’s worth reflecting on those things that are worth keeping, cherishing and renewing, even if they aren’t quite as shiny as something new.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:35pm
Need to correct the link–drop from “www” on, I think.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:23am
We began thinking about all the “stuff” we buy a couple of years ago, after we read an article about a group of people in San Francisco who made a compact not to buy anything new for an entire year (the article can still be found here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121701122.html).
We tried it ourselves. We weren’t 100% successful, but it really highlighted to us how much piddly stuff you pick up every single day because it’s “just a couple of dollars” or it’s a really good sale. None of it being stuff you couldn’t live without. It was an eye opener.
It was amazing how much time we saved as well because we didn’t have to stop and look at everything on our way through Walmart to pick up milk
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:56am
Fixed the link–thanks Bill!
Michael, we went all cash this summer during Farmer’s Market season for our groceries and sundries. Amazing how much more aware it makes one when you know that the end of the green stuff in the wallet means the end of other stuff until the next market day!
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:42pm
We have shared our journey with our children as we strive toward better stewardship of our blessings and resources. It was exciting to me, when our son connected the info from the Story of Stuff with a recent National Geographic article he had read on High Tech Trash:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/carroll-text
It is nice to know not all the info we are trying to pass on to the kids isnt going in one ear and out the other : )
And, Sara thanks for passing on the info…may we all be a little bettter informed and most importantly challenged to think a little differently and ponder how to become better stewards.
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:40pm
On the lighter side…
This story is told with permission from my daughter!
There are just some things one should buy new!!! This Christmas my daughter was “blessed” with one of the funniest examples of pushing the envelope on used items. She recieved some very nice barely used clothing, which she had proudly showed to everyone. Imagine my surprise the next morning when I went to unpack her Christmas bag…in the bottom was a pair of undies. Not just any undies but silky, lacy (and might I add very “adult”) pink undies!!! I laughed and asked her if she wanted to keep them. To which she replied in a horrified whisper “Mom, they are USED”. I am still laughing as I picture the look on her face. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a pair of use pink lace panties!
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:38pm
On a serious note, here is what one can do without “extra stuff”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPQ8iy48cqo
This is about my aunt.
Enjoy,