The Story of Stuff

This has been circulating for a bit, but is a great reminder of the current state of our world.

The Story of Stuff -- From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

I highly recommend watching it, or watching it again. I think it is particularly effective for kids because of the animated format and the relatively simple storytelling. Don't dismiss it as just something for the kiddies, however. It is a very powerful tool and is a great look at the big picture that we often miss as we focus on the issues in our own communities.