Story of Stuff

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by Alison DiMuro4 views·Updated Nov 23, 2020
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  1. society really takes a deeper look into an issue at
  2. hand. This is particularly evident in the way products are
  3. made and sold, as well as the way consumers shop.
  4. My name's Alison Baron.
  5. This is my take on the story of stuff.
  6. The entire process of producing goods begins with materials.
  7. These materials are often stolen from our earth and damage
  8. it. Practices such as deforestation and destroying mountain ranges for
  9. mining purposes have become the norm while entering our planet
  10. and those who inhabit it, such as animals, plants and
  11. even our own humankind.
  12. In the process we've been making, we have been taking
  13. more resource is than the Earth can provide and frankly,
  14. more than we need.
  15. And when we still don't have enough, we create since
  16. synthetic and harmful prop books to keep up with excessive
  17. demand. This brings us to the next issue in this
  18. hazardous linear pathway.
  19. Not only do large product production corporations excrete toxins into
  20. the environment through pollution, carbon emissions, excessive water usage and
  21. waste production due to their production procedures, they also put
  22. toxins directly into the products themselves.
  23. That means we, the consumers, are exposed to these harmful
  24. things every day.
  25. Scary thing is that the chain seems almost impossible went
  26. up against these big, powerful corporations who rule over our
  27. economy and even seem to have a saying over our
  28. own government.
  29. But it's not the government's job to keep everyone in
  30. check. But it is the government's job to keep everyone
  31. in check for the people's wishes and not keep just
  32. some important people happy and leave the rest to figure
  33. it out.
  34. The next step and the system is the key to
  35. everything. Consumerism is where we have the most influence, where
  36. the so called powerful influencers meet the whole of the
  37. people and where these people get to make their own
  38. choice. Except the current issue is that the consumers choices
  39. often made for them due to the dominant influence of
  40. planned obsolescence and perceived obsolete obsolescence.
  41. Ever notice how the iPhone you just bought two years
  42. ago seems to slow down and fall apart right when
  43. the newest iPhones about to be released well, companies have
  44. mastered the art of creating products that fall apart just
  45. a soon enough to where the consumer will have to
  46. keep buying mawr to stay up to date but they
  47. make the product last long enough to where the consumers
  48. still have faith in the product.
  49. Perceived obsolescence is the phenomenon that buying the latest trending
  50. item will make you happier, impress your peers or will
  51. present you in a certain way.
  52. The fashion industry has taken advantage of this bike, changing
  53. whatever seems to be the in style for that year,
  54. Whether it be thick or thin, high heels, low rise
  55. or high rise jeans or bigger, small sunglasses.
  56. It's easy to say the conscious consumerism is the quick
  57. fix. But while consumption and choosing healthier and better for
  58. the planet products would help, the companies who produce this
  59. hold the responsibility.
  60. As long as they create products that are cheap and
  61. stay competitive in the market, there's always going to be
  62. someone to purchase those items and sustain the demand for
  63. them. What happens after consumers leave the grocery store or
  64. the mall is the next phase worth noting.
  65. Here there's so much waste produced because society has a
  66. throw away mindset.
  67. Instead of fixing or updating things that may be broken
  68. thanks to the flake equality of planned obsolescence, it's easier
  69. to say Oh well, upon a bio.
  70. Buy a new one.
  71. Throw this away when these items were thrown away.
  72. If we're lucky, there sent Thio Anno overcrowded landfill still
  73. being attacked.
  74. However, there's a scary chance that the incinerator could get
  75. ahold of these items to save space in the landfill.
  76. But remember those toxins that were put into those products
  77. back in the production stage?
  78. Well, now those toxins air being released into the atmosphere
  79. that we breathe in that nurtures air, flora and fauna.
  80. You may be freaking out right now, thinking there's no
  81. hope for us, but with the way that we're living
  82. right now, you'd be right with the way we're living
  83. right now is not going to continue toe work much
  84. longer. However, there is hope for change.
  85. This linear system needs to become a cycle that can
  86. sustain itself, but modifications need to be made.
  87. The government should keep corporations in check and enforce tighter
  88. environmental laws to look out for the population as a
  89. healthier hope.
  90. However, the power of the individual should not be diminished
  91. as social influence can often create an even greater change
  92. than a law and in a more timely manner.
  93. We the people who want better for our world.
  94. We have from and we have the ideas for what
  95. to change.
  96. But now what we're missing is action.
  97. It's up to the people who want this change to
  98. happen to create the opportunity for it.
  99. It's important to remember when negotiating change that all aspects
  100. to this way of living are interconnected between the well
  101. being of the people, a successful economy and a healthy
  102. environment. First, all the thriving there should be kept in
  103. mine, kept in mind for all parties moving forward.