Fascinating and creative look at how our consumer society contributes to the destruction of our planet and our own bodies: http://www.storyofstuff.com.
They talk about perceived obsolescence in the video. How true it is. All the messages we receive from fashion, pop culture, the media and marketing campaigns let us know how much we suck by not having the latest and greatest gadget. Coming back to the U.S. from Mexico City I was shocked by how many people were carrying iPhones. Despite all the talk of a desperate economy and trying times, I didn't see any tangible evidence that people were changing their consumer habits.
I was just receiving flack this morning from some fellow officers for drinking from an empty organic peanut butter jar in my room. In fact, I reuse all the glass bottles from salsa and peanut butter for storage. That allows me to store food safely without having to throw those out and buy other products. I find that to be resourceful, but that doesn't seem to be the sentiment of most Americans today.
Now, I'm far from perfect in my consumption habits, but I'm committed to playing a role in reviving our planet and a way of life that doesn't feed the monster. And unfortunately, I believe these habits flow from a more systemic problem that we might find in front of a mirror.
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