Have you ever wondered where all the stuff is now that you’ve received as Christmas presents over the years? From your childhood, through your teenage years and into adulthood? How about everything you’ve ever given anyone else for Christmas? I’ll bet you don’t have a clue where most of it is now, or how it ended up. “The Story of Stuff”, a new short film released today online, takes you on a provocative tour of our consumer-driven culture — from resource extraction to gadget incineration — exposing the real costs of our use-it and lose-it approach to stuff.

Throughout the 20-minute film, activist Annie Leonard, the film’s narrator and an expert on the materials economy, examines the social, environmental and global costs of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. Her illustration of a culture driven by stuff allows her to isolate the moment in history where she says the trend of consumption mania began. The “Story of Stuff” examines how economic policies of the post-World War II era ushered in notions of consumerism — and how those notions are still driving much of the U.S. and other global economies today.

According to the film, consumer mania may have been born from the post World War II era, but economic manipulation has driven consumerism to where it is today. From the limited life cycle of personal computers to changes in footwear fashion, Leonard demonstrates that products are either designed to be regularly replaced or to convince consumers that their stuff needs to be upgraded. This notion of planned and perceived obsolescence drives the machine of consumerism year round.

The film features Leonard delivering a rapid-fire, often humorous and always engaging story about “all our stuff — where it comes from and where it goes when we throw it away.” Written by Leonard, the film was produced by Free Range Studios, the makers of other socially-minded, web-based films such as “The Meatrix” and “Store Wars.” Funding for the project came from The Sustainable Funders and Tides Foundation.

This film provides the missing links in our understanding of how consumerism works, and why it is causing such damage to our planet and to people who are involved in production of our stuff, who we aren’t even consciously aware of. I heartily recommend seeing this film.

Here’s a taster:

For the full 20-minute film, visit The Story of Stuff website.

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A groundbreaking report from WWF-UK has been released today, entitled “Deeper Luxury – quality and style when the world matters”. The report analyses luxury brands’ social and environmental responsibilities, performance and opportunities. Jem Bendell and Anthony Kleanthous, the report’s authors, sent me a synopsis:

“The issues facing luxury goods companies are numerous. They include concerns over human rights, conflict, corruption, labour rights, and environmental degradation throughout their supply chains, as well the trade in wildlife. The opportunities, on the other hand, are huge, if you happen to be a “sustainable” luxury brand.

Luxury brands promote concepts of quality, style and, ultimately, success. The scale and urgency of the sustainable consumption challenge requires all those who communicate widely, including iconic brands, to promote a more authentic understanding of quality, style and success, which includes respect for each other and the planet upon which we depend. In reality, the most successful and iconic brands, especially in the worlds of fashion and technology, do not so much respond to consumer demand as create and influence it. They do this in two ways: by “editing” consumer choices through product design, distribution and other attributes over which consumers have no control; and by influencing the choices that consumers can make, such as how and when to use their products.

Although more research is required, there are signs that the notion of “luxury” is beginning to change. In future, the highest quality product or service will be the one that generates the most benefit to all involved in its production and trade. Consumers’ knowledge of that benefit – and even the prestige they gain from it - will be central to their luxury experience. Luxury brands will have to represent the greatest positive contribution any product or service could make to people and planet: they would indicate that a person using them has the means and the conscience to contribute greatly to others while enjoying the best performance and beauty available. This deeper, more authentic approach to luxury will require not just more corporate responsibility, but true social and environmental excellence. Anything less might be regarded as shallow, perhaps almost as fake as the counterfeits.

The luxury industry professionals have an amazing opportunity. With booming sales and high margins, and an emphasis on consumer emotions, they have both the resources and the mandate to develop a deeper, more authentic and sustainable luxury.”

The WWF-UK Report “Deeper Luxury: Quality and Style when the World Matters” is available for free at www.wwf.org.uk/deeperluxury

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US residents can now check out what they’re being poisoned with by checking out this new tool provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Google Earth. It’s a useful tool to track air quality in your community or if you are planning to move to another area to escape airborne toxins. Check for levels of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, VOCs, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. You can also identify big emitters easily, like cement plants, chemical manufacturers and petroleum refineries, amongst others. Focus on a particular state or sector to get the most accurate details. You need to have Google Earth already installed on your computer for the EPA file to work, or if you’d prefer not to install it, you can download the text version. It’s not as much fun to use as the Google Earth file, but it contains all the information you’ll need.

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