A Cautionary Video About America’s ‘Stuff’



The thick-lined drawings of the Earth, a factory and a house, meant to convey the cycle of human consumption, are straightforward and child-friendly. So are the pictures of dark puffs of factory smoke and an outlined skull and crossbones, representing polluting chemicals floating in the air.Which is one reason “The Story of Stuff,” a 20-minute video about the effects of human consumption, has become a sleeper hit in classrooms across the nation.



The video is a cheerful but brutal assessment of how much Americans waste, and it has its detractors. But it has been embraced by teachers eager to supplement textbooks that lag behind scientific findings on climate change and pollution. And many children who watch it take it to heart: riding in the car one day with his parents in Tacoma, Wash., Rafael de la Torre Batker, 9, was worried about whether it would be bad for the planet if he got a new set of Legos.


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Comments

Anonymous said…
The environment is composed of finite resources, and water is one of our most essential.

Please help Clean Water Action protect Florida's water.

On May 28th, the Miami-Dade County Commissioners will be asked by FPL to approve a hazardous rock-mining project.

Check out this link to protect Florida's water supply and stop FPL's rock mine. We need your help!

http://cleanwateraction.org/action/dont-let-fpl-threaten-miami-dade-drinking-water
2:22 PM
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