The Story of Stuff

I hate feeling guilty about not being able to afford lots of the green options available at the store. (Advertisers and salespeople make their livings from such guilt.) But buying green isn't the same as going green. Something to keep in mind if you visit the Tampa Bay Living Green Expo this weekend.

I also hate that there simply aren't many true green options: lots of things, especially electronics, are made to be replaced. Quickly. The quicker it gets to the landfill, the quicker the company that made the product will have another sale to ring up.

In our shopping-obsessed culture we've become convinced that there is a product to heal whatever ails us. Why not just buy less?

I just listened to a podcast of Annie Leonard on KUOW's Speakers' Forum. The speech was a great introduction to every day environmentalism, and it also took away some of that buyer's guilt of mine. It got me thinking that, sure, buying less will reduce my carbon footprint, but my feet are small compared to the enormous boots of companies that inhale the world's natural resources, spit out a product (and endless pollution), then convince us we need whatever they've got for sale.

Remember The Lorax?

Annie Leonard also has an animated movie called The Story of Stuff, and a new book that chronicles her journey around the world and through miles and miles of American garbage.