Consumerism on a diet

In spite of all the science going into creating cars that don’t use as much gas or gifts that aren’t made of questionable chemical components, so much of what we need to do about climate change comes down to just curbing our urge to buy.

Being minimalist isn’t always easy because you have to be ready to step out in less than the most fashionable shoes and forego the oohs and ahhs of admiration that go with having the latest digital camera or flat screen. But the reality is that dancing to the consumerist tune is one of the biggest reasons we’re in the environmental mess we’re in today.

Here’s a great video, The Story of Stuff, that breaks down our consuming habit from production to disposal. It shows how unjust our consumer patterns and expectations are from a humanitarian perspective as well as how suicidal from an environmental one.

It’s 20 minutes long, but easier to digest than the big picture it portrays.

Tuck in!