SPIRITUALITY, FAIR TRADE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
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21	October 2013

The Story of Stuff & The Story of Change

The Story of Stuff:
I was extremely surprised by the stats used in the video. I never knew that 40% of the waterways in the US have become undrinkable. That makes me wonder about the states in the midwest and south that are more likely to experience a drought. If 40% of the waterways are undrinkable, then how do people in those areas get water? I was also surprised by the fact that 80% of the planet's forests are gone. 80% is a huge number and with that much of forest being gone, very little is left. Trees are vital for the ecosystem and help to filter out the carbon dioxide in the air. It would help reduce the carbon in the air if they were more trees, even if it was a small percentage. I never would have expected it to be 80% gone because there are countries that value their environment and countries where there are many trees prevalent. I was most startled by breast milk having the most toxins. I knew that what we consume would be transferred on to our babies but I never thought about it being through breast milk. I always thought it would be the purest thing that a baby could consume. But this video has made me realize that even breast milk is harmful.

I agreed with the point in the video: "If you don't buy or own a lot of stuff, you don't have value." In society now, everyone watches what you own when they judge you and determine whether you can fit in with them. It has become all about what material possessions you have and you're cast out if you aren't up to spend with the latest products. The appeal of the products can be blamed for this. The advancement in technology has caused people to want to get the new thing because it's cool and they want to experience the change it has on the world. It's a smart way to get business, on the part of the producer, but a stupid decision on part of the consumer. However, consumers can't be blamed completely because of the ads and media that make these products so appealing. Shopping also takes up our time and is viewed as a wonderful pastime (as how I see it, even though I end up wasting my money), but it only benefits producers which doesn't do consumers any good because they already have millions of dollars. If the money was going to a fair trade entrepreneur I would say that would be a better way to spend money because at least a poor artisan can buy food for their family another day. They have a way to survive.

The Story of Change:
I didn't really see much in this video besides the stats. I never would have expected such a high percentage of Americans want better laws for the environment and energy when they waste so much. I think the best way to help the environment is not to rely on laws, but to rely on yourself to the do the right thing and save what you can when you can. I was amazed to see "83% of Americans want clean energy laws" when they themselves are probably wasting energy. It just seems to me like they're hypocrites. However, this is my own assumption and I'm not speaking from facts when I say they're hypocrites.

I did like the equation for change that was shown.
Big idea + WE + ACTION = Change
Yes it does and will take a long time to achieve change but at least its a start. According to the stats, a lot of people already want change, now all they have to do is come together. I don't think they need to do so physically but they can do it in the sense that they change their daily lives to save energy. Together, that would help greatly.