The Story of Stuff

Hi Everyone

I agree with the previous blog comments.

Although I felt the presentation was a little idealistic (though cleverly presented), this is where great ideas and change start. You have to make it interesting and appealing to capture and maintain the viewers interest. After viewing the presentation I had a look around where we live and at all the forms of advertising we are bombarded with.

Do you notice how advertisers load the pressure on us as consumers (especially TV with the bonus of sight and sound. How much louder are the ads when compared to the programmes?) - "buy now", "don't miss out", sure you can't afford it so "pay later". This is where I related to the narrators quote about the American encouraging people to find their spiritual and ego satisfaction in consumption. Have you ever tried doing the 40 Hour Famine while watching TV - How many food ads alone are played in a 1 hour segment??? It's self inflicted torture! Not to mention womens magazines loaded with fashion and weight loss tips and "must have" items. I am guilty of buying into that in the past, but unfortunately, or is that fortunately, my financial situation dictated a change in my consumer habits and started opening my eyes to what is really important.

Then parenting changes your opinions and priorities even further. The return to the availablilty of organic products and natural fibres has become a higher priority in order to reduce the amount of toxins we expose our loved ones to. The accumulative effects of untested chemicals on the body is more than just a little frightening when you see how many kids have debilitating allergies these days. These organic items were previously known as "home grown" and therefore classed as embarrassing and undesirable to the young children who were watching increasing amounts of TV and believing that bought is best. Even though today it is usually more expensive to purchase organic items when compared to mass produced or chemically altered items, at least they are available and consumer demand is the most powerful tool in dictating change.. This is how the planet got to this point in the first place. It is possible to reverse the tide, but is it possible to reverse the damage?

I am certainly not what you would call a "greenie" and am extremely guilty of finding my own spiritual and ego satisfaction from the purchase of unnecessary items because they make me feel good or up-to-date, or because it is quicker, easier and cheaper. But as time passes and (hopefully) wisdom grows, the bigger picture of what we are doing to the planet, either directly or indirectly, is frightening and many of us choose not to think of it because it is too hard to comprehend. If we did, we would stop reproducing as who would want to force our children to live in the environment that is forecast if we can't stop the destruction. We need to treat the earth as if we are borrowing it from our children, not leaving it for them to inherit.

In NZ we are so very lucky as we are fairly isolated from the worst of the over producing and over crowding and therefore over consuming seen in many parts of the world. New Zealanders have spearheaded change in many ways in the past, so there is hope that we can continue to be a positive influence on the rest of the world.

I think that is enough ranting for one day - lol :-)
Suz