Remember that battery-powered, light up shaving gel product, called NXT, that got me all riled up last month? Well, to be honest, it wasn’t just the sheer selfishness and cluelessness of putting an LED light and AAA batteries in a shave gel bottle that got me so freaked out. I mean, really, the stores are full of selfish, clueless products.
The thing that got me about this bottle was that none of the articles I originally read about this packaging even hinted at any concern about the impact of the package once it entered the waste stream. The articles just gushed on about how “innovative” it was. I checked the product’s website and saw that all the comments on the blog were either about how cool it is to have light up bottles in the bathroom or tips on where to buy it for the lowest cost. (Walmart).
I actually had a nightmare about it. I dreamt I was in a huge auditorium and some guy who invented the bottle was giving a speech and the audience was all politely clapping. In my dream, I stood up and objected that a shave gel bottle with an LED light and a pair of AAA batteries isn’t moving us in the right direction. In my dream, no one heard me although I began yelling louder and louder. I felt invisible.
I woke up feeling totally depressed. Then I checked my emails and had dozens of emails from people all over the world for whom Story of Stuff resonnates and inspires. I had this overwhelming sense of not being alone. So I decided to blog about it. And in my blog, I shared the URL of the NXT shave gel blog.
I checked the NXT blog the next day and there were a number of posts raising concerns about the wastefulness of the product’s packaging. (thanks everyone!)
Then three more things happened that made me smile.
One, the What’s NXT blog got taken down. Hmmmm, interesting coincidence, eh?
Two, Cheryl Jones from the company that makes NXT emailed me directly and explained that the “The bottom cap is intended to be ‘reusable’ as a toy or other lighting device as the batteries are replaceable.” OH, I see…it’s not actually excessive shave gel packaging; it is a toy or flashlight that comes with some free shaving gel. I wonder why none of the PR material or articles I read explained these plans for future uses of the bottle.
Three, some of you emailed me and took my critique even further, raising concerns about why we need to purchase mass produced shaving gel in the first place.
Excellent point folks. The more I learn about personal care products, the emptier my bathroom shelves become.
I’ve learned a lot about personal care products lately, thanks to my friend and office-mate Stacy Malkan, who you all know as the person in the Story of Stuff with the flat screen computer monitor. Among other things, Stacy works with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and she just wrote a book called: “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.” (www.notjustaprettyface.org)
I’ve learned that personal care products – including cosmetics, shampoo, shave gel, lotion and more — are not regulated by the FDA. It is perfectly legal and common for companies to use ingredients that are known or suspected to be carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxins in the their products that we then put on our bodies!
If you want to know how your favorite personal care products rate on toxicity scales, check out Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database at: cosmeticsdatabase.org. This database pairs ingredients in over 25,000 products against 50 toxics and regulatory databases, making it the largest publicly available database of its kind.
My friend Stacy is about to go on a book tour to share information about toxics in personal care products and to enlist people to join the campaign to force these companies to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems, and replace them with safer alternatives. Duh. We’re putting this stuff on our bodies!
Here’s Stacy’s tour schedule. If you want to learn more, join one of Stacy’s events or contact the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at safecosmetics.org. And pass it on to friends in any of these town.
************************************
BEAUTY NEWS WE CAN ALL USE: Lead in lipstick? 1,4 dioxane in baby shampoo? What’s going on? Simple. The $50 billion beauty industry is so powerful they’ve kept themselves unregulated for decades. Learn the latest news about toxic chemicals in personal care products, discover the secret to choosing safer alternatives, and join the effort to give the beauty industry a makeover, as Stacy Malkan reads from her new book, “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.” www.NotJustaPrettyFace.org
LOS ALTOS, CA – Elephant Pharmacy
Saturday April 5; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
4470 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022
WALNUT CREEK, CA – Elephant Pharmacy
Tuesday, April 8; 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
1388 S. California Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94596
BERKELEY, CA – Elephant Pharmacy
Wednesday, April 9; 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
1607 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
SEATTLE, WA Green Festival
Saturday, April 12; 3:00 – 4:00 pm
OAKLAND, CA – Peralta Colleges’ Annual Conference on Urban Sustainability
Friday, April 18; 11-12:30 a.m.
Merritt College, 12500 Campus Drive, Oakland CA 94619
SAN RAFAEL, CA – Elephant Pharmacy
Saturday, April 19; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
909 Grand Avenue San Rafael, CA 94901
BOSTON, MA – Border’s Books at Downtown Crossing
Tuesday May 6; 6:30-8 pm
Borders at State St T stop, corner of Washington and School
CHICAGO, IL – Green Festival
Saturday, MAY 18; 12 – 1:00 pm
Buy the book at www.SafeCosmetics.org and a portion of proceeds benefit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics!
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April 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
This isn’t really about the beauty/shaving stuff. But it is about being a throwaway society. Earlier this year the plastic pitcher to my iced tea maker cracked. I’ve had this machine (similar to an electric coffee maker) for about 10 years. The only way to purchase the replacement pitcher was online so the total cost after shipping was going to be $20. But I could buy a whole new set up for less than $20 at a local department store. So now I have two of the machines but only one pitcher. I can donate the machine, but unless someone has the correct pitcher, it’s pretty useless. So now its sitting in my cabinet.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
This is a gerat and very educative little movie, but I have few very important questions: what will happen to the economy if the corporations will become smaller? what about the people who will lose their jobs? Isn’t it a two side coin?
It is scary to admit, but for me it looks like there is no other way, and we do need to shop and consume in order to support the economy…please correct me if I’m wrong….
April 8th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Dear Annie,
I just watched your “The Story of Stuff” video and I looooved it!! I’m deeply moved and full of hope.
It’s so good to find people like you: smart, well informed, committed, honest, practical and optimistic (despite all the reasons you have to be pessimistic).
I’m a documentary maker and I want to work the rest of my life to make things better.
I’ve had an extremely easy and happy life so far (I’m 31), so I think I just HAVE to give back as much as I can during the rest of my life, and documentary films are a great tool.
I would love to meet you some day and work with you. I’m not asking you for a job or funds or anything, I just want us to stay in touch and maybe plan something together.
I sincerely hope you to answer to my e-mail, thanks for what you do!
Enrique (Chile)
April 8th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I just had a concrete idea: I would love to translate this website into Spanish, my native language. And I don’t expect a single cent for this job, I really want to be part of this.
So just let me know if you take my offer – I’m sure Vito Corleone would say you can’t refuse it
Bye!
April 14th, 2008 at 2:08 am
I love reading blogs with the subject of the (lack of) standards in the beauty industry. I think the public is way ahead of any government regulations and will be the force for change rather than the other way around.
It really is appalling what things are in bath products–especially in baby shampoos & soaps. Once I started doing research on why my kids skin was reacting so harshly to something that was supposedly so ‘gentle’, I was really taken aback. Endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, & phthalates, oh my!
I blog about it here: http://soapchix.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/johnsons-baby-cream-not-so-good-for-baby/ and have found that some people get upset when you question labels.
I link to safe cosmetics all the time and love the work that Stacy has done/ is doing…how exciting that she’s taking it out on the road with her new book!
I also love this movie! I’ve been watching it in sections with my 11 and 8 year olds, and it’s gone such a long way to counteracting the massive marketing push towards kids this age. It’s been great to hear them debate the actual cost of the cheap plastic toy gun that they’d normally buy for $1.
Thanks!
Soapchix Tiff
April 15th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Thank you for this site; it is very inspiring. I feel the same, that no one cares. I have discussions with friends and family about the fact that, considering that going “green” is now cool, very few people seem to be changing their ways: I still see people tossing cigarette butts on the street and throwing their fast food containers on the ground. It makes me want to scream. But the more sites like this I find, the more hope I have; knowing that there are concerned people trying to make a differnence is encouraging.
A very close friend of mine and I have recently added our voices to the online dialouge that is taking place about our current envionmental crisis. We, like many other people, have blogs (www.avoiceinthechorus.blogspot.com and http://www.terraceadvocate.blogspot.com). We are wanting to connect with others; we want to be a part of the change; we HAVE to change things.
Thanks again for this great site.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
you know what?! people need to sacrifice, to be beautiful. So, im thinking that i dont care if that stuff, gets on my legs or whatever. K peace
April 24th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Wow, great movie and blog and I’m so glad the word is getting out about toxic beauty products. Those of us who are environmentally ill have been begging people to pay attention for years. One of the best, oldest, original sites about consumer toxins is the good, old fashioned website of The Environmental Health Network of CA. Lots and lots of great links about products, harm, and safer alternatives.
April 24th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Story of Stuff is excellent, thank you!
I suffer from the same problem you have, a heightened sensitivity to waste and pollution and the helpless feeling of living in a society that makes it next to impossible to do the right thing.
I could completely relate to your entry about the shaving foam packaging. I don’t remember exactly when, but it seems like maybe the late 80s and the 90s, that consumers approved of, and industry was moving toward, reduced packaging. But lately, probably with the advent of the giant plastic clamshell package, the trend seems to be toward insane amounts of overpackaging again.
Your entry about the shaving foam took me back to a few weeks ago seeing an endcap display for an allergy medicine, Zyrtec. The packaging was beyond excessive – it was at least 1 foot square of clamshell, and inside that, another hard plastic box, and inside that, 12 individual 1-inch sqare sized blister packs each containing a single tiny pill. It was like freaking russian dolls. I was seriously incensed, but I did not have a single person I could tell about it who wouldn’t think I was nuts for giving a damn about it.
A nice complement for your website might be this: how about a Hall of Shame page for products that are one use away from becoming toxic garbage, have excessive packaging, or are intenionally designed to be unrepairable when they fail (ex: Sonicare toothbrush which uses a normal rechargeable AA battery but it’s epoxied in permanently so that when it no longer charges, you can’t replace it).
Something maybe like http://www.overpackaging.com/ (which I just now found when I was searching for images of the Zyrtec – interestingly, the 4th “Zyrtec” image returned by Google was for overpackaging.com).
I think manufacturers love giant packaging because it makes consumers think they are getting “more” for their money. And it’s become like an arms race – those who don’t use giant packaging are disadvantaged in sales because their product becomes less visible compared to the oversized competitor’s packages on the same shelf. It is a failure of our government to control moral hazard with regard to externalization of environmental costs.
I wonder if it would be feasible to come up with guidelines for what constitutes “excessive packaging” for the purposes of a surtax on such products. If the consumers love them so much, they should be willing to pay the tax for the end disposal. Perhaps even just the serious threat of such legislation would spur a counterproposal from industry for voluntarily de-escalating the packaging race.
PS I couldn’t find a picture of the entire Zyrtec packaging that offended me so, but here’s one of the individual blister packs http://www.overpackaging.com/images/zyrtec-samples.jpg
April 24th, 2008 at 1:31 am
When I lived in Santa Cruz, CA, there were several stores that sold many foods and household products in bulk. They were much, much cheaper than their prepackaged counterparts and I loved not having as much garbage to deal with.
Now I live in L.A. and I can’t find any place, not even here in “P.C.” Santa Monica, amongst the many yoga studios and raw foods restaurants, that have anything but the meagerest selection of bulk products, and they are very expensive.
April 24th, 2008 at 2:26 am
I just had to quote this comment from this CBC article about overpackaging. (It sounds like this commenter has seen The Story of Stuff!)
“Corporate Welfare. I wonder when the average consumer will awaken to the corporate welfare they provide — first, they purchase the overpackaged product, price inflated for the packaging (mind you, I suspect still much below their true social and environmental costs). Then they clean and prepare the packaging for recycling, donated labour and time — five minutes here, five minutes there adds up quickly. Then we pay the company through our municipal taxes to have them pick up these really cheap resources for input to their next product — often excess packaging! That’s a donation of money at both ends and time in between, so we can generate excess economic growth and call it progress! Recycling is the third “R.” How many people reduce and reuse first?
Robert Rattle
Ottawa, ON”
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/overpackaging/examples.html
April 24th, 2008 at 2:57 am
About a year ago, I wanted to buy some popcorn. Not popped corn, not microwave popcorn, just regular popping corn to make on the stove. I went to Albertsons which is a huge national grocery chain which should be as well stocked as any huge chain store could possibly be. They didn’t have popping corn at all, and I know they weren’t just out of stock because there wasn’t even a space for it on the shelf. I even checked with the manager. Slowly they are taking away our less packaged, less prepared food. A one-pound bag of popping corn is surely less profit than a 3-pack of microwave popcorn. How much longer before you can no longer buy basic things like fruit and vegetables that aren’t pre-washed, pre-cut, and plastic wrapped in overpriced individual portions? Oh god, I’m turning into Andy Rooney.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
It isn’t just the beauty industry.
I’m feeling really down about this – this “innovative” reviewing of new products without any thought about the environmental impact.
Crayola came out with these “twistable” crayons – they are crayons encased in non recyclable plastic and this is a company that lauds itself as environmentally friendly!
I wrote a letter after looking for earth day crafts to do with my kids with the theme “every day is earth day” and google gave me Crayolas site as the #1 choice.
I blogged about it, but the point is they asked kids to use these twistable garbage producing crayons to write to lawmakers to endorse environmental protection initiatives! So we wrote to Crayola. I searched and searched – not a single article anywhere questioning the waste in these things!
How do we get the word out???
April 27th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Hi Annie,
I’ve just been reading your blog on the shave cream with lights and batteries and it is very close to something that has been driving me crazy for about 6 months in New Zealand.
Gillette brought out a razor with batteries – I assume it vibrates. Hoever it’s not an electric razor, it’s a standard blade-razor. With batteries. The Gillette Fusion Power http://www.gillette.co.nz/ Why? I have no idea whatsoever, but since then there are now a women’s version and a rival company version.
The other thing that really annoyes me is little products in BIG boxes surrounded by layers of plastic and more cardboard down to the teeny tiny bottle inside. Cosmetics and electronics are the no. 1 perpetrators of this crime!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:18 am
This reminds me of toothbrushes and razors that vibrate with the use of batteries. What a waste. My favorite toothbrushes ever are the “lame” square ones that my dentist gives me for free. I have spent the $5 on the Reach vibrating one. My teeth weren’t any cleaner.
So, I can’t wait for the “food” version: “Story of Food!” Will you please create it Annie?!? The food industry might just be the most disturbing of them all! What are we to do (I mean eat)!????!!! If I can’t have a Brazilian Rosewood guitar, I don’t want Brazilian Rain forest soy/corn/ethanol or beef either! ! ! ! ! !
I have watched “Story of Stuff” countless times and want more and more. I have passed the link on to every one of my friends. You are wonderful. Don’t ever feel like you’re invisible or nobody is listening! Don’t even dream it!
By the way, I hate planned obsolescence. My laptop has broken at the hinge 4 times. The helpful (yet annoyed) people at Best Buy said it happens ALL THE TIME and that most people just buy new laptops. I take great care of my laptop which is only 3 years old and I’ll be taking it in to be fixed AGAIN. How frustrating!
Anyway, you (and all of your helpers) rock.
-JimT
April 27th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Beauty is a throwaway industry by and large, from start to finish. It is truly in the eyes of the beholder, and many of us let the media be those eyes and tell us how we have to look to have value. And of COURSE,how we have to look is impossible without all sorts of gadgets and chotchkes and doodads that cost money, are used up in a short time, or better yet, expire before they are used so you have to dump the rest of the toxins, then buy more.
How about the inner beauty of taking care of our planet so that it can take care of us? Our children? Theirs? Is it more important to get off this gravy train now, or to have five hundred more shades of oil based lipstick to go with the five hundred ‘new’ fashions next season?
April 27th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Wow! What an amazing video!!! You have done an incredible job of articulating all of my deepest concerns and fears. But what I like about your video is that not only does it explain the serious problems and consequences that we face it also points the way to some very real solutions.
Of course, one thing that concerns us all is that if we shut down the “materials ecconomy” won’t this effectively put everybody out of work? But the truth is we have to totally rethink our way of life. If we don’t our survival as a planet, let alone our species, is doomed.
April 28th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Dear Annie,
Me and my class saw your movie “Story Of Stuff”.
And I thought it was great. I think it’s really important stuff I mean like it’s sad that all of the animals are dieing and non of this stuff is very good. Like all the bad stuff thats getting in the air. I hate how the world is coming to be. You know people want to live. Animals do to, because Animals are just like people but they look different. I really care about animals. I’m just a 13 year old girl caring about animals and the world thats kinda weird. If I didn’t really care then I wouldn’t be commenting you. But I loved the movie. It was really great and I think if more people watch this amazing movie then I think that maybe some of this gloable warming would prob. Stop.
well I loved the video. thanxx.
Sincerly,
Jo.Jo.
April 28th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Honestly,I mean COME ON!!! LIGHT UP SHAVE GEL bottles? That is just a serious waste!! Why would you spend SO much money on something that is just going to get empty and your gonna throw it away! O I guess you could give it to your kid,but is that really smart?What if they put it in their mouths and toxins kill them,or do serious damage and scar them for the rest of their lives? Also they are tightly compressed and if they are punctured they can get seriously hurt, now do you really want that? So as you can see I am completely against this wasteful product!!
April 28th, 2008 at 11:23 am
i agree!!
April 28th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Wow, come on light up shaving bottle!! How desperate are we! We are so drawn to anything that lights up or moves. We don’t even think about where it ends up after we throw it away. What is the point of wasting your money on something that you are gonna get bored with in a few weeks. All it does is destroy the environment. Think about all the toxins and everything else in those bottles that could harm you or your children, and other people you don’t even know! What about the peoples homes and land we are ALL helping destroy by buying, and then throwing away pointless little toys and other useless things like that. We need to step up and be more aware of our planet.
April 29th, 2008 at 5:01 am
“green” is now cool, very few people seem to be changing their ways: I still see people tossing cigarette butts on the street and throwing
April 29th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Hello,
Your video has really made me think. It’s very well done and I hope the message gets out to people. One issue I have though is that I cannot find your sources for all this information published anywhere on your website. Also, the video claims that Bush said told America to go shopping after 9/11.
What he said was, “I ask your continued participation and confidence in the American economy. Terrorists attacked a symbol of American prosperity. They did not touch its source. America is successful because of the hard work, and creativity, and enterprise of our people. These were the true strengths of our economy before September 11th, and they are our strengths today.” (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html)
It makes the video seem unprofessional to so casually put words in someone’s mouth.
However, all in all I found it to be very informative and thought provoking. Keep it up!
April 30th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Annie, thanks so much for all the information you’ve provided! ‘The Story of Stuff’ has been a great help to a group of students and I as we finish a project. You are informative and fabulous!
May 1st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
In response to our beauty/healthy products being toxic, I would like to give hope and mention that there are many earth and animal friendly products available! For example, check out Lush products! They have even made an effort to stop putting SLS (Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate) in their products, which if you check the back of any shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, etc, you will see SLS, SLES or something similar listed. SLS dries out your skin and is an irritant, and not good for you.
May 1st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Why no mention of population control? Two people using only half the resources of one still use the same resources. How many people is enough?
May 1st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
As a manufacturer of truly natural soaps, I know all too well what goes into some of the mainstream “beauty” products. People have no idea what they’re slathering on themselves. What’s especially sickening is all the hype and greenwashing that’s becoming so prevelant now that green is actually “in”. (Been a long time comin huh?!!!) Buyer beware! Everybody’s scrambling to get a piece of the green pie now (and many, dare I say most? are unscrupulous).
A good place to do that is the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics database. I bought Stacy’s book a while back and hope to find time to read it soon. We gets lots of referrals from that site because our soaps are all 0’s and 1’s on the nontoxic scale.
Anyway, keep leading the way Annie, and Stacy, and ALL of you people out there who have a brain on your shoulders and refuse to be hogwashed by big pharma, big beauty, and big government. Onward!
Maggie, soap bartender
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
How do I get more information about the Green Festival 5/18 in Chicago? I’d like to know specifically where Stacy will be (Chicago’s a big place!) and if she’ll be speaking or signing books or what? I haven’t heard anything about this festival at all.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I’m glad my husband gave me this link – it’s right up my alley. When it comes to beauty and hygiene, I have little patience – I’m all about organic, inexpensive and easy-to-find. For example, my facial “beauty treatment” consists of baking soda and vegetable glycerin. I make a paste of the baking soda with water and gently scrub my face with it, rinse, then apply a small amount of vegetable glycerin while my face is still wet. My sister-in-law, who has severe dry skin problems on her legs, had great success with this regimen. Where I live (San Antonio, TX), a small bottle of vegetable glycerin can be found for about $4 at health food stores and even some grocery stores (large bottles run about $8-9). A small box of baking soda is about 50 cents, while a large one is just over a dollar. With daily use, a 4-ounce bottle of vegetable glycerin has lasted me over a year, and just about everyone has a box of baking soda around.
Believe me, this treatment really does make your face feel like a baby’s butt.
May 5th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Annie,
I wanted to let you know that it appears that Stacy’s book reading in Chicago will be on Sunday, May 18 – your blog says Saturday.
I was so amazed by your video! Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly important information with the world!
Cheers,
Sarah
May 5th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Hi, I was wondering if there was a version of Story of Stuff with spanish subtitles? I’m from Argentina, and I speak english but my friends don’t and I want to show them the movie.
If there’s no subtitled version, I’d be willing to make the translation, but I have no idea of how to turn that into subtitles for the movie. Well that’s all. I hope I’m asking at the right place. I couldn’t find an e-mail to write to about this.
Lara Sumiacher
May 7th, 2008 at 8:44 am
My Website – is NOT quite ready. yet…
But – I think I sent this to you before and told you i would like to get involved ! There is a whole other story – about those that want to save the world and are hoarders – because of it… I got my husband to help me do this video – Only because i promised my husband – I would throw out all the old used toothbrushes – i had been saving to send to Oprah or Ellen – If he helped me with a video – I wanted to get Oprah or Ellen – both of them – or just one of them to help me start a campaign to stop just this one thing – -old used Toothbrushes in our landfills !!! That’s how i got him, to help me make a video for the Green treehuggers contest… I threw out my stash of old used toothbrushes in to the recycle bin, – A kind Of …. Time to make a statement – and lets Put our money, our old used toothbrushes – that have been in our mouths – where they should go – and Put our power together – to change the big corporations with something – where everyone’s mouth has been !!! try to force the big companies that force us to accept the plastic – where our mouths are – into recycling – and make them accountable ! Let’s try and force them to offer us a way to recycle our old used toothbrushes !
Who doesn’t brush their teeth ??? Then – isn’t it everyone’s responsibility to do something about this problem !!! ? Please go to- http://www.blip.tv/file/156646/ see what i am talking about !!!
May 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I watched TSOS in my health class the other day. I gotta learn to be more resourceful. It spoke to me.
If I could afford to, I’d buy from the “hippie” store or section of the supermarket more often.
May 16th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I understand the urgent need to reduce consumption. I do so as much as possible, I live simply, buy locally, buy organic, and try to live off my own land, but there are a few things about this little movie that bother me.
1. You mentioned that kids in South Africa mine “Polton” to help us (well…help China) produce electronics. I have never heard of this element so I did a little research and I can’t find any proof that this element exists. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
2. President Bush asked people to shop after 9/11 because the attack was aimed at the US economy (the World Trade Center was not targeted by accident). The only way to keep the economy alive is to stimulate it. If we have a weak economy, we lose our ability to help others in need, including those in our own country. No consumption, no economy, no power to do good. He was addressing the “curl up in the corner” response that disasters like that often provoke in an attempt to minimize the damage already done to the economy.
3. You stated that 50% of or taxes are spent on the military. Actually, it’s more like 20% if you cite unbiased sources (like the official US budget not we.hate.war.com) but for an easy to understand breakdown, visit: http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/102817/How-Your-Tax-Dollars-Are-Spent
4. The whole toxic breast milk section was really disturbing. Yes it is a symptom of our declining environmental health if it were as dire as you claim it is, but you over-stated the problem and then immediately back pedaled. “It’s toxic, but don’t stop doing it.” Breastfeeding is a very important part of child development. Casually slipping in that it’s toxic to the point of being dangerous is very irresponsible.
5. “The Corporations” are large because we have capitalism. They are successful for a reason and many of the do a lot of good for this country. Yes, some do much harm this country as well. Money and power corrupt the weak.
To paint them all as evil, and to imply that our government bows down at their feet is so tired, offensive, and ignorant…and it has no place in this documentary. It just seemed like a rather transparent way to slip in your personal opinion and present it as fact. Quite the eye-roller.
Let capitalism do its job. Capitalism breeds innovation through competition. The successful are rewarded and we ALL benefit in the process. To punish corporations for being successful hurts innovation and kills our enormous potential as human beings to solve huge problems for the greater good.
We can solve this problem, but only through innovation that is encouraged by the possibility of success.
Overall, you have a very important message. Unfortunately, you stuck a lot of biased opinions in that distract from the real lesson – tread lightly and don’t take what this beautiful planet has to offer for granted.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Hi,
LOVED the THE STORY OF STUFF, saw it on Debra Lynn Dadd’s newsletter! Passed it on to my friends.
Being that I have a Natural Relaxation, Bath & Body Care Company that sells consumer products, packaging is one of my biggest concerns. We’ve done our best to use bottles and jars that are recyclable. Unfortunately, when you sell a product you need to package it. But I feel that what is inside is good and nourishing and I hope that our customers take the step to recycle the packaging from our products.
As our company grows we will always look to ways we can improve our impact on helping the planet and the consumer. We are doing our best for our size. Our help is happy and in an environment that is free of the toxic chemicals that a conventional body care operation would offer. How bad could it be to be surrounded by lavender!
We are not consumed with growth, we will grow as we are meant to, in our own time. I have no interest in ever automating our products, there is a positive energy that goes into natural handcrafted products. I would rather pay people to work then to pay for an expensive machine to do the work instead of people. Our goal is to offer high quality products that are healing and nourishing to the Body, the Mind and the Soul. You can’t get all of that from a machine and toxic ingredients!
Here is a link to an article written by Debra Lynn Dad called Handmade Food, I think you will enjoy it.
http://dld123.com/abitofnature/index.php?cid=288
I have added the first comment to the post, it is about how Natural Skin Care and Cooking Go Hand-in-Hand.
Enjoy,
Karen Seremak, owner
Savannah Moon Relaxation Products, LLC
http://www.SavannahMoon.com
May 20th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Annie,
I want to thank you for having put the time and energy into developing this valuable resource for humanity.
I had my fiancee and my mother sit down with me to read your post about the shaving gel and we then went to the cosmeticsdatabase.org website to see how our toiletries ranked – much to our dismay.
I find it quite sad that even today people are being “duped” by government and big business into buying junk that makes us sick.
I did a little research of my own about the chemicals that are present in e-waste as my company is focused on collecting old computers and gadgets for recycling and reuse (we don’t export, incinerate or landfill, by the way) and I was shocked to find out about the other places these chemicals turn up.
I compiled a list of the toxins and their effects based on information provided by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and searched for other applications of these chemicals – what I found was spooky.
You’re welcome to view what I found at: http://thriftopia.com/2008/05/19/e-waste-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/
Thanks again for opening my eyes.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 am
I just watched your video and forwarded the site on to several people… it is very well done.
Since this particular blog entry is about personal care products, I’d like to pass on an alternative to deoderants that is very effective. Dab a little lotion under your arm with the tips of your fingers and then dab a little baking soda. The lotion is just so the baking soda will stick a little.. it takes very little of both. I found that I can wear even polyester and acrylic tops (yes I still have a few of those) more than once without having to wash them. It also doesn’t harm the clothing.
May 26th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I feel that this blog entry is a huge example of how one person can change the world. Above, ‘orit’ posed a very troubling question. “what will happen to the economy if the corporations will become smaller?” – orit. I know that it is possible to make things happen at the base of the system, but boycotting items just won’t work with the economy in the state that it is in now. That limits dramatically what we can do individually, or at that matter, what we can do as an organization. Do you (or any one else) have any solutions or ideas?
Elijah – USA
May 28th, 2008 at 7:07 am
The Story of Stuff…
Annie Leonard erklärt die Welt des Konsums!
……
May 29th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I think that this video is very helpful to people who know little about this subject. I learned a lot from this video. My science teacher is very into natural and man made problems that we are causing for ourselves. She has told me much about this subject yet this video was very helpful to my understanding.
If you are an adult think of your children. If they are teenagers think about how many items of clothing they buy or how many games they buy for an xbox. These things aren’t needed yet we thrive on them living in this society. We need them to show social classes even though you aren’t paying people in third world countries are. I believe if we taught our younger generation how to be smart when shopping we could limit poverty rate, bankrupcy and even help eliminate poverty in third world countries.
I think this video was very helpful and I think people of thew government should watch and realize what they are doing to our generation!
May 30th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I just went to the NXT website, it seems that the products with the LED lighting is now only for “a limited time”. So it seems you may have influenced them to eventually remove the useless LED light/battery device from the packaging.
June 1st, 2008 at 7:20 am
Someone else said: “This isn’t about beauty and shaving…”. Well, no, it isn’t, BUT: The beauty and cosmetics industry is particularly full of useless and toxic products that we don’t need.
My own bathroom shelf is pretty much down to the following:
- Pure soap (which we’ve started making ourselves)
- Coconut oil (locally produced, we live in the
tropics)
- Vinegar (homemade)
- An aloe vera leaf from the garden
You can wash your hair with soap dissolved in water. Just rinse with vinegar afterward to remove the alkaline soap residue and your hair will feel as smooth as if you’d used conditioner. But in any case, don’t wash your hair with soap/shampoo every day. The less you wash it with shampoo/soap, the less sebum your scalp will produce! (after an adjustment period of a couple of months) In other words, regular use of shampoo increases oil and sebum production because you’re constantly stripping the natural protection from your hair and your body responds by trying to compensate with more sebum and oil.
Coconut oil is incredibly good for your skin. In the shower, with your body wet, put a few drops in the palm of your hand and rub it all over. This way you can spread a very thin film evenly over your body… you will NOT feel oily afterward, and you’ll never need moisturizer again.
For brushing teeth you can use a home-made tooth powder, or aloe, or oil. 90% of the effectiveness of brushing teeth comes simply from brushing, not from what you put on your brush. The only “active ingredient” in toothpaste is the flouride, and that’s disputed. There are homemade powders that are more effective at removing stains than any toothpaste, and using oil or aloe may be more effective against gingivitis. Aloe of course has many other uses, too many to list here.
For shaving use soap lather or oil. I prefer oil… I mix a little coconut oil and water in my palm and “lather” it up to make a thick emulsion. I swear this gives a much closer shave than ANY shaving cream.
For other needs, just search the net. There are homemade recipes for everything, and in most cases they work better than the commercial products, never mind being less toxic and wasteful.
June 8th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I just watched the story of stuff movie and was amazed at the amount of stuff people throw out per year. Going green is a wonderful idea but it has disadvantages too.
When we make this chain in which we by products from giant factories, what will happen to the people who work in the factories?, what will happen to our economy, what will we do when all these people are out of jobs? When people are out of jobs people don’t have money, when people don’t have money they can’t by products, when people can’t by products our economy goes down causing everything to fail.
People think that when factories are shut down because of pollution small “green” businesses will come in and will higher these workers. These small businesses may come into your town but it will take time and money.
Going green is a great idea but you need to look at both sides of it. I hope that are country can go green without big corporations taking over and stopping it, or bending it.
-Thank you for this site and the video.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Very interesting.
If the economics don’t work, recycling & sustainable efforts won’t either.
Check Http://LivePaths.com, a blog about innovative entrepreneurs that make money selling recycled items, provide green services or help us reduce our dependency on non renewable resources. These include some very cool Green online ventures, great new technologies, startups and investments opportunities.
June 16th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Hi Annie.
Who’s writing you is an Italian man who is just tired of the way our “first world” works, and I loved your movie. Very simple and effective for everyone. As Enrique proposed, I’d like to translate it into italian.
Secondly, more on topic, seems that now NXT is saying that “some of our products in the past had a light, find them while you can!”. Good that something changed thanks to your site, but the “war” unfortunately is far from over, let’s go on
Thank you
June 23rd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I made a video a few weeks back about a disposable toilet brush..a really appropriate product to symbolize our throw away society which is going down the toilet.
It was groovy that your video had a great message, but had a positive outlook.
Are you planning on putting versions of it on youtube and other video hosting sites like Viddler.
Would love to put it on my blog. Will link to it on my next environment post, which is sue out on the 15th of July.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
This time I want to comment about your dream. Don’t feel your are invisible, cos you aren´t. It’s just that when you scream to a mountain, the mountain take its time to give the ecco back. Of course, I’m taking about a 6000000000-people’s mountain. Good work!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Annie Leonard, you are wicked hot and your concerned intelligence bumps you up to mega-hot status.
I shall love you from afar forever.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
hey! beautiful, congratulations Annie and Cia!
Where can i get the video with spanish subtitles? i want to send to my friends but someone dont speak english xoxo.
Thanks for ur work, sincerely thanks!
July 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Wow – losing sleep over a light up shaving can! Wouldn’t the time be better spent volunteering in a soup kitchen or teaching people how to read?
Your video is darling and the graphics appealing (great marketing job) but I just plain disagree with the way you are presenting the “story”. Do you not realize that the big, bad, fat corporations enable you to live in this lovely society where you have light when you hit a switch, water when you turn on a faucet and food when you open your refrigerator?
The statement that we are “running out of resources” is entirely false. In fact, if environmentalists would allow the US to drill for oil we would not be in the predicament we are in right now with soaring gas prices.
Oh well, everyone is entitled to their opinion and you have made a charming, albeit wildly off base, video with yours. Please note that just because you say the sky is falling doesn’t mean that it is.
Thanks and hope you get some sleep!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 am
This is by far the one of the best videos on stuff I have ever seen. Keep up the good work and maybe someday people will start to understand
July 16th, 2008 at 4:06 am
I’m sure you get blasted with email’s, replies, and mail with a blog like this. In any case as I have worked in IT for a number of years one thing that is terribly disconcerting to me is the packaging systems around computing.
Lets take for example Sun Microsystems. Do yourself a favor and buy a single power cable (identical to the one’s you’d get at best buy), what you get is a box that is large enough to fit 15 power cables. Is it filled with packing peanuts, bagged air, anything? No. Is there a reason for this? Not that I have ever been able to think of. Now lets say you buy two power cables. You get two boxes; 3, 3 boxes, 15, 15 boxes. Now when a entity buys a rack mount server they typically come with two power cables. So what does that mean? You get 2 boxes in the mail, then you get a third box.
Not many places ever buy a single rack mount server. Where I work at, a small catholic college with 1,200 students we tend to buy 6 or 7 of these every summer.
We have actually had to resort to rooms to store the waste (cardboard, packing peanuts, polystyrene, etc.) In any case I am curious if you have done any investigative research on technology waste?
Thank you and you will be recommended on my blog!
N
July 16th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Hi Annie,
just wanted to say thank you. There will be a society free of hurry, free of consumption.
Step by step, and never running again.
Thank you Ana.
Mis mejores saludos,
Miguel Furlock
July 18th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Hi there. I was recommended this website through someone at a university. This video has opened my eyes to the true destruction of the earth. It was very informative, and carried a strong punch. Thank you for it! Hopefully many others will stumble upon this gift.
It’s horrible how corporations are treating us like this. It’s everywhere! In the cosmetics, the food, the products.
July 19th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Dear Annie,
A friend of mine fowarded me a link to your documentary some days ago, and I have just finished watching it. I wanted to congratulate you on the wonderful job you are doing. You made the message really clear and really obvious, and I think this is very important for getting people on board of the “Let’s save the planet” boat.
I have to say I’m not exactly an activist and I do have some stuff piled up around the house, but I was never a shop-addict and I could never quite understand why some girlfriends of mine would squeack and be so thrilled when setting foot on a store. I totally agree with your message and I absolutely fear that there will be no planet left for my children (or even for when I become older, as I am 30 now).
Also, I live in Portugal and I went to the US for the first time 1 year ago, to attend a series of job-related workshops. When I saw the quantity of garbage that we were producing after each snack, lunch, whatever meal it was, I just panicked. It’s amazing, everything comes in a plastic something that gets wasted way faster than we can digest whatever was inside it. In Europe this is not such a habit, we normally use regular dishes and glasses which we than wash (ok, wasting water also). This was a real surprise for me, I had no idea.
But overall, of course this is just an example, as there are so so many things we need to change – starting, of course, by the mindset.
Congratulations again and keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Rachel
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Hi Annie,
I’m trying to e-mail you but can’t seem to reach you through the contact link. Could you possibly send me your e-mail address? I’m interested in doing a documentary movie and website as well with similar goals and am very interested in how you got yours going. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I am very interested in that this information is available in Spanish, so any idea, or if you needs collaboration with this, contact me please.
—-
Hola, no hablo muy bien el inglés así que mejor escribo en español.
Desde hace mucho tiempo vengo informándome sobre cómo puedo ayudar a proteger el planeta, cada día me sorprendo y aprendo más. Cuando vi Story of Stuff, comprendí más cosas y me di cuenta de que hay muchas pequeñas acciones con las que puedo contribuir. Una de esas acciones es la distribución del video, y créeme, en eso soy buena.
Cada vez soy más consciente de mi papel en esta historia y procuro ser responsable a la hora de consumir, sólo ayer, mi pareja estaba alerta a pedir a los dependientes de las tiendas que no nos empacaran los productos en miles de bolsas y nos fijábamos en el material de lo que comprábamos, así como su pais de procedencia.
Afortunadamente no uso productos de belleza, sólo lo más básico del aseo personal, así que, por lo que veo, estoy reduciendo la cantidad de tóxicos con los que tengo contacto. Hay que hacer un debate sobre cómo se presiona a la mujer para que sea bella y cómo se usa su cuerpo para servir a los fines del consumo.
Gracias por este espacio.
July 27th, 2008 at 6:18 am
HOLA. SOY LIDIA PEVERELLI. VIVO EN LA CIUDAD DE ROSARIO, ESTA UBICADA EN LA PROVINCIA DE SANTA FE EN ARGENTINA. ME PARECE EXCELENTE EL VIDEO. ES UNA LASTIMA QUE NO SE DIFUNDA COMO DEBERÍA. LA MAYOR PARTE DE LAS PERSONAS QUE CONOZCO PREFIEREN VER UN VIDEO GRACIOSO, SIN SENTIDO, ANTER DE VER UN VIDEO EDUCATIVO. NADIE QUIERE HACERSE RESPONSABLE POR LA CONTAMINACIÓN. CUANDO HABLAS CON ALGUIEN DEL TEMA TE DICEN: “YO NO PUEDO CAMBIAR EL MUNDO” TIENEN QUE EMPEZAR LOS DE ARRIBA”, ASI SE ORIGINA UNA DE LAS GRANDES CADENAS DE LAS QUE HABLA ESTE VIDEO. NUESTRO PAIS ES UNA DE LAS VICTIMAS DEL CONSUMO MASIVO DE RECURSOS DE ESTADOS UNIDOS. CASI TODA LA PATAGONIA SE HA VENDIDO A NORTEAMERICANOS E INGLESES A UN PRECIO UNCREIBLEMENTE BAJO, PERO ESTE NO ES EL UNICO PROBLEMA. NO SOLO SE VENDIERON LAS TIERRAS, SINO TAMBIÉN LOS RECURSOS NATURALES QUE PASAN POR ELLA, COMO POR EJEMPLO LOS RIOS Y LAGOS. Y ¿QUE PASO CON LAS PERSONAS QUE VIVIAN EN ESAS TIERRAS?… CREO QUE YA SABEN LAS RESPUESTAS… POR SUPUESTO NOSOTROS TAMBIÉN CONTAMINAMOS Y USAMOS NUESTROS PROPIOS RECURSOS NATURALES DE MANERA ILIMITADA, NO DIGO QUE LA CULPA DE TODO LA TENGA NORTEAMERICA!!!, JAMAS DIRIA ESO. LA GRAN DIFERENCIA ES QUE AQUI EN ARGENTINA ES IMPOSIBLE ENCONTRAR LAS “COSAS” A BAJO PRECIO, HASTA EN ESO ESTAMOS MAL. NO SOLO NOS QUEDAMOS SIN RECURSOS, TRABAJAMOS EN LUGARES INSALUBRES, SINO QUE TAMBIÉN UNA PERSONA DE CLASE MEDIA TIENE UN SUELDO DE $1700 MAS O MENOS, ESO SERIA ALREDEDOR DE 600 DOLARES, Y COMPREAR 1 KILO DE PAN VALE $4, UN KILO DE TOMATE A LLEGADO A VALER $6. LO MAS GRACIOSO DE ESTO ES QUE SON “COSAS” QUE PRODICIMOS NOSOTROS MISMOS. POR QUE PASA ESTO? PORQUE LA MAYOR PARTE DE LA MECADERIA PRODUCIDA SE EXPORTA A UN PRECIO MUCHA MENOR QUE EL QUE SE VENDE EN NUESTRO PROPIO PAIS. OTRO DATO: SOMOS UNO DE LOS PAISES QUE PRODUCE MAYOR CANTIDAD DE CARNE VACUNA Y DE MAYOR CALIDAD, PERO CON FRECUENCIA SE PUEDEN VER LAS GONDOLAS DE LOS SUPERMERCADOS VACÍAS, O REPLETAS DE CARNE A UN PRECIO TOTALMENTE ACCESIBLE, LO CUAL HACE QUE TENGAMOS QUE COMPRAR LA CARNE DE PEOR CALIDAD PARA QUE LA MEJOR SE EXPORTE. LA “FRUTILLA DEL POSTRE” DE TODO ESTO ES QUE LOS PRODUCTORES, LA GENTE QUE VIVE EN LOS CAMPOS, RECIBEN CANTIDADES MUY BAJAS DE DINERO POR HACER TODO ESTE TRABAJO, QUIEN SE LLEVA TODAS LAS GANANCIAS???… ESO CREO QUE TAMBIEN LO SABEN…
ESTO TIENE QUE PARAR PERO REALMENTE LO CREO IMPOSIBLE. NO QUIERO PENSAR QUE VAN A VIVIR NUESTROS HIJOS Y NIETOS. YO TENGO 22 AÑOS Y ESOY EMBARAZADA DE MI PRIMER HIJO, Y LA VERDAD, ME DA MIEDO TRAERLO A ESTE MUNDO.
GRACIAS.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
In response to your nightmare re: shaving gel…don’t worry…YOU ARE SO NOT ALONE!!! We are out there working right with ya, girl!!! I used to feel that way, in fact, up until recently I did. Now it’s hard to go a day without hearing something about the green movement. I just read on greenbiz.com that San Francisco and LA are outlawing giving away plastic bags!!! Talk about a dream come true. Hellooooo! It’s just common sense for us to bring our own bags. I rarely shop at mainstream supermarkets, so I used to always be shocked when I would tell the bagger that I didn’t need the bag (for my usually one small item that I had gone in for) and they would huff and rudely throw it out right in front of me, instead of saving it for the next person (which is obviously what I wanted to happen), thus defeating the whole purpose for not using the bag. Like I was some kind of fanatical radical hippy and they were going to show me!!! But now, apparently, it’s becoming mainstream.
Barbara Kingsolver’s latest book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle”, is another example. Her and her family’s year long commitment to eat locally. I just finished it, and then a friend came to town and shared with me the work she’s doing at her non-profit job in New Orleans, the “Food and Farm” project…that is bringing food growing back into the communities, giving people better food, teaching them skills, and reducing their impact on the global food chain.
Me personally, I am starting a non-profit in my local area that will encourage businesses to go green. Without giving the details, the goal is to prove to myself and others that going green can be profitable and fun. My goal is for every single businesses in my community to be green within 5 years.
So, once again, you are SO NOT ALONE! Your video is powerful, I have sent it on to everyone I know.
Thanks for the great work!
July 30th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I’m always very concious about using cosmetics nowadays , because these days there are lot of fluctuations even in the big brands. Even lot of people don’t know how to judge things, may be on thier appearance or price e.t.c.This thing really helps us a lot.
Angelina
California Treatment Centers
July 31st, 2008 at 12:20 am
The site is really very inspiring. It’s need of an hour.Especially girls like us needs to have a sound knowledge of this industry,so I’m looking forward to get more & more from this side.
Angelina
California Treatment Centers
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:48 am
hi annie, I am an italian 16 girl and I don’t speak a very good english, so I apologyse for my errors but I hope you can understand me the same.
I have watched your video on google and I want to congratulate. I’ve been really happy to know that there are some people like you that try to change things…it is people like you that give me the hope that it is not everything lost, that we can still save this world. I strongly hope to become one of this people, because I believe that a person can do the difference. thank you very much…goodbye.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Hello. I am Nicolas, from Lima, Peru. I don’t really know where to post a comment to the video, wich I think is great, so i do it here in the blog. It’s a really interesting video, it explains the whole thing in a very easy way, like for dummies (that if for almost everyone in the planet). Still, I thik there is one thing it has missed: the role of armed conflicts in this linear system. War on Irak has contributed to the raise of the price of petrol, many wars on Africa elevate the price of diamonds (the so called blood diamonds), even the price of gold has been touched by the 9/11 attacks. Things like these help to create worlwide inflation, and by consecuence more poverty, more desperation, more people with no other alternative. Even in the U.S. I’ve seen documentals about people who has two jobs because one is not enough.
Anyway, my e-mail is narcolennon@gmail.com. I would like to receive more information about how I can do my part to change this crazy situation, so my future kids and grandsons can enjoy this planet.
August 12th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
August 20th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Hi! I just watched the movie, it is really inspiring but It lacks one thing, subtitles for other languages. Most of the people in this world are not english speakers so should be a great idea to have some subtitles for helping the people understand that this society model sucks.
I am spanish living in Japan since one year, if you think US people consume a lot, you have to come and see this…
As Enrique Leon said in a previous comment, if you need help to translate this let me know, I will do without compromise. I can provide as well Japanese and German translations from friends who liked it as well.
Don’t hesitate in contact me and we will help this website and help how to make a better world.
See you and thank you for the site!
August 26th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Annie & Gang-
Just stumbled upon your movie! Excellent and very informative.
I fully intend to host a few green parties myself: replete with organic vegies,Sun Chips and natural organic beverages( i.e. Wine & Beer).
I figure if you get people drunk enough they won’t feel like going out and shop as often (except for asprin).
Well, it’s off to work at Wal-Mart!(They out-sourced all the local markets in town. I guess it’s because of the global economy that is making us better!)
Care to purchase a new radio?
{{{sigh}}}
August 28th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Hello! Love the film and love the blog. I actually got linked to the Cosmetic Safety Database earlier in the day while I was looking at Jezebel.com. Fascinating stuff! I’m curious about where I can find more detailed information about products which are banned in the E.U., but which are allowed in the U.S. (much like the consumer electronics situation). Keep up the good work—I will be passing this on to a lot of people, some of whom I fear will be difficult to convince. But every little effort might chip away at those stodgy thoughts that a corporate America is the only America—well, let’s hope it chips away, anyhow.
Thanks again!
August 28th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
And not only there’s the problem with the contamination of our bodies, but a whole ecological and ethical-moral one too, which takes me to the issue on animal testing, in which especially is involved the beauty and personal care industry. We should be more concerned about this thing if we consider ourselves “ethical-moral” people.
By the way, I think ‘Story of Stuff’ is fantastic, we need more things like these to open people’s minds.
So, keep up that good work
Cheers
September 4th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Sounds like you’ll love this one (if you haven’t heard it before). Shaving cream is not the only unnecessary beauty product. Girls… Shampoo is a lie.
The whole mess started in the 18th century when people started using soap in their hair. Soap is good for your skin but it makes your hair look rather poorly. In the 1930’s synthetic shampoo was developed for public use. These products didn’t leave the dull film of soap.
Shampoo was designed to strip away the natural oils in your hair where dirt collects. When you are accustomed to using shampoo your hair overproduces these natural oils. Go long enough without using shampoo and your head feels itchy and awful. It’s like a drug. Once you start you’ll always need a fix. Think it stops there? No. Not everyones skin and hair are the same. Suddenly your scalp starts to flake, your hair starts to frizz. Oh now you need Special Shampoos, new bottles, research, advertising, chemicals!
The truth is all you need to do is rinse your hair throughly every day and give it a brushing. The oils in your hair aren’t the enemy, they are there to protect your follicles. The problem arises when these oils are over produced, making the hair sticky and stiff. But when they are produced in a natural state of balance your hair will behave as it should -without- the struggle and dirty oils can be removed with simple grooming.
I know girls who’ve never once used shampoo in their life. I envy them and their lovely easy-to-handle hair. Even we shampoo junkies can retrain our hair to its natural state with daily rinsing and brushing. Though it will take a few months of oily, itchy, frizzy hair it can be done. No drug is dropped without withdrawal.
Of course not maybe your hair is not to your liking, that doesn’t mean you’re beyond hope. Turn your back on the shampoo bottle and turn to your garden! Once you and your hair are clean pamper your head with a hot cup of tea. No I’m serious. Boiling herbs like Yarrow or Aloe in water and soaking or massaging that into your hair can give your locks added body and shine. Add some rose or jasmine petals for a divine scent. Try some sea salt for bad dandruff problems.
Do the research and give it a try, you may never have to buy a bottle of shampoo again. In the end you’ll save money, reduce waste, and save loads of time.
If you’d like I can also show you how to dispose of deodorant forever. (The alternative is much more effective too.)
September 5th, 2008 at 3:31 am
I have an answer for Orin who has a query about the future of jobs if we buy less. One outcome may be that if we are buying less but more ‘ethical’ goods i.e. those that are made using less environmentally negative products and those who care for the people in the supply chain then those people who have jobs in the businesses that do survive will have a better working conditions than most of those that exist now. Also there is then the increase in the hire, recycling, reusing and second hand businesses, jobs will increase in this new sector of business.
Also if we are buying less, we won’t need so much income and people will perhaps be able to use the ‘dosposable income’they were spending to take time off, reduce their working hours or perhaps work share thus increasing jobs in the mainstream.
September 7th, 2008 at 4:57 am
I think a major point missing at the end of the video is all 3Rs. You mention that recycling can’t solve the problem by itself, but people can also reduce and reuse, which are both key in fighting waste and shouldn’t be left out of an otherwise excellent video!
September 8th, 2008 at 8:16 am
My family and I have been using skin care products for 2 years that are safe for your skin. I was sick and was told by a Dr 10 years ago not to put anything on my skin that wasn’t all natural, and to look up any ingredient I did not recognize to be safe. The products are Arbonne products, the products are formulated in Switzerland and made in the US and include include a men’s line, baby line, make-up, weight loss,detox spa.
I absolutely love the line and know that my family is using the safest products available. If you want more info I can be reached by email at g.ostrowsky@comcast.net
September 10th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
My neighbor’s 9 year old just showed me the cell phone he got as a gift. The toxic waste product with hideous blue screen – Congo misery technology – is too depressing to try and tell him about. He’s all excited about the built in games it plays.
The other thing that burns me up is all the cars people choose choose to drive.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
The sad part is there are real concerns mixed in with well, the rest of it. (I had started typing something more vitriolic, but I want people to actually read this, and not just be offended by the first sentence) We haven’t tested all 100,000 synthetic chemicals (what about natural elements and chemicals? arsenic is natural) because if you understood the concept of permutations (remember highschool math?) you’d quickly figure out no one (and no possible human organization) would ever have the time for such an absurd task. But go ahead grab a toxin filled calculator and just try to make it compute 100000!. For a sense of proportion 20! is 2432902008176640000, meaning with only 20 chemicals one could find 2,432,902,008,176,640,000 (20×19x18…) ways to recombine them. Next, if those neurotoxic elements and or chemicals in pillows actually have to ways of penetrating our skin, how come we’re not all vegetables? Furthermore, neurotoxins affect the nervous system, not just the brain. Hence the name. Why should we worry about this stuff being in items like our computers? Do you have plans to eat your motherboard? Furthermore, the idea that “forced obsolescence” is performed by changing the shap of something (you don’t specify beyond “a tiny little piece in the corner demonstrates only a comically limited knowledge of the construction of a computer. Giving an incredible benefit of the doubt, I will assume you actually identified, physically uninstalled, and examined a microprocessor: first of all, motherboard compatible with more than one pin-layout DO EXIST (there are boards that take both 754 pin and 939 pin processors), but these are only because one socket, 939, is largely backwards compatible with the other. The overwhelming majority have no such compatibility for a variety of reasons, different memory standards, memory controllers being on-die versus being built in to the northbridge chipset, FSB (or equivalent, like HT) standards, complete redesigns (like 775 being an LGA, pinless, versus regular sockets), and other reasons I lack the knowledge to describe.
The $5 radio works because of this thing called mass production, the price of a single unit is what you see because you are the end consumer, but the producction consists of many producers, who make some part, used in the radio and other things, by the million,and looks at costs to produce at that scale, then, ships them to another producer who assembles them, at that same scale, who then brands it, and ships it to retailers, who deal in smaller scales, that are nonetheless still bigger than the one you look at when you buy. To one side of this issue I say: There are real problems with exploiting people and resources unethically, and we are not islands, no matter how far from the slums our house might be. To my side: this can be argued in a manner that is intellectually honest, yet still compelling. This jumble of fear, fallacies and ranting that borders conspiracy theories, and Luddite-ish platitudes does not help environmentalism, and borders dangerously on a secularized version of original sin doctrine. This video provides only fallacies, baseless claims, and conversation stoppers. I’m glad it still might have managed to inspire good. Also, I somewhat facetiously say that since all these words only managed to cover a little bit of the video, perhaps it could be shortened a bit for general consumption?
September 15th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Congratulations, i don´t speak english landguaje very good, but i undestand your things and stoy with you in this!
September 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Hi
It’s interesting, is there anyone here who disagree with author?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:20 am
We just watched the story of stuff and it is a wonderful. With regard to luminescent shaving cream – I noticed some time ago that shaving cream is a racket anyway – those bottles of cream and gel just need to be replaced after a couple weeks – a few months ago I bought a new product at http://www.kissmyface.com and it is organic and natural and all that stuff but more important it still hasn’t run out! I don’t even know how many months I’ve been using this one bottle.
Thanks for all you do,
Eric
October 5th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I have discussions with friends and family about the fact that, considering that going “green” is now cool, very few people seem to be changing their ways: I still see people tossing cigarette butts on the street and throwing their fast food containers on the ground.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Why should I believe you?
Who are you? How do you know? I can make a cool video and talk a lot of bs, and sound cool, but that doesn’t mean what i am saying is absolute truth.
Plus, why would you throw away an ipod? That is so uncool!
October 10th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Hi Annie
For some reason I am reminded of a chapter in Bill Bryson’s books “A Short History of Nearly Everything”, called “Getting the Lead out”. If you haven’t read it, I recommend it – if you read one chapter in the book, read that one.
To me, it is the story of two men, and their different motives, and “good” science vs. “bad” science (good and bad referring to ethics, rather than method). I had never heard of Clair Cameron Patterson before, but I think he is an unsung hero.
Finally, I just watched the “Story of Stuff” video, and I think it is great. I heart you and your team.
Never give up.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hi,
I loved your video. I’m sharing it with all my friends!!!
Maybe it is late for this but I would like to join the iniciative of Enrique Leon, to translate this blog to spanish. I’m from Colombia, and I would like to offer you my help without asking anything on return.
I actually think that the key to get a change is to educate and to inform people not only from the U.S but from all the world. If we all do little changes in our bad habits, we can make a big difference.
keep on with the good work
October 25th, 2008 at 4:31 am
i can see how important this is, becasue just this week, i picked up a copy of bitch magazine and there was a huge article on this, with the cosmetics industry, which was the first i had heard of it, then i saw you speak at the sustainability conference in eugene and there was some talk there during the couple days about toxic cosmetics, and its on your blog, and one of the books recommended to me by my friend is by your friend so i bought it and emailed my family to
1. watch the story of stuff
2. research the cosmetics they buy.
i’ve started doing it, and i’m going to be much more careful. i have problems with epilepsy that the doctors have never been able to figure out, and i’m going to see if changing body care products eventually makes a differece in my life. all the products i own were rated 5 or higher, and all were cancer causing and neruotoxins, so maybe eventually getting that out of my system will help me, or possibly my someday children.
THANKS!!
October 28th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
elephant pharmacy? never HERD of it. get it? HERD instead of HEARD! luv that. lol
November 24th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Answer for Orin about the impact of less consumption on the overall economy.
You’re right. The economy might shrink, but not necessarily that would imply that we’d feel less satisfied.
As the video says, we’re likely to find it more rewarding to consume less and work less. We’re very likely to feel happier…
I’ve tried it for some time, and it feels great in your pocket, in your life and in your mental health. It’s just about using stuff for as long as it lasts and consuming what you need instead of what is fashionable. Turning off the TV feels great as well…
Take care!!
December 10th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
At the risk of grossing everyone out, I would just like to mention the MOONCUP which I bought the other day. It has been on my mind for years that, as a woman, I have to buy and throw away hundreds of sanitary items every year. It’s an alternative to these – a one-time purchase, re-usable (for up to 10 years apparently…) silicon menstrual cup that you insert, then empty, rinse and re-insert. It doesn’t leak, it’s really easy to use and… well I won’t go on into details but imagine if every woman replaced her annual supply of packets of sanitary towels and tampons with one of these little silicon cups, that would save tons and tons and tons and TONS of waste.
Just this tiny change in my life has made me feel really happy and kind of… free. I am no longer forced to consume and chuck away all those boxes of used products.
Please tell your female friends about it and encourage them to try one. They cost about 25 euros (but would no doubt be cheaper at Walmart if they sold them, which they obviously don’t!).
This website and video are very inspiring. Thank you!!
December 27th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Weird though it sound, I think the beauty industry is really one of the nastier ones out there — and seems to get away with it completely.
Look at our culture’s obsession with deodorant, for example. Some lunatic has decided that people should not smell like people, but like “Ocean Surf” / etc, and has convinced a ridiculously large portion of the human race into believing the same thing. (The rest were pressured into it by the believers). As a result, people spray / coat themselves with possibly-toxic chemicals. Note that the famous Axe body spray scores a 5/10 on cosmeticsdatabse.org.
Now, I understand the perfume thing, especially for special occasions, but that people feel pressured into using artificial skin scents at all times (hence the really cheap beauty products) is somewhat shameful. I know from just a little bit of traveling that other cultures have absolutely no problem with how people smell. The ridiculously strong smell of some “deodorant” would probably turn up some noses in other parts of the world.
As for shaving cream, I can proudly say that I have never needed it to shave. I just use soap and a cloth, and I seem to do better at not cutting myself than a lot of others…
January 6th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I used to buy shaving gel, cream, whatever the latest thing was on TV. Then about 10 years ago an old man told me how he preferred using his tried and true “shaving kit”: a horsehair brush and a cup of shaving soap. I couldn’t believe at the time these still existed! Well guess what, they do exist. Problem is, they last too long. I’m on my third soap now (yes it’s been 10 years) and they cost about $5. No wonder the corporates don’t market this stuff. And the brush? Still the same old horsehair I bought 10 years ago. I’m sure there are lots of alternatives similar to this for all kinds of products out there! Makes me want to look up old ads from the early 1900’s!!
April 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Hi, I can?t understand how to add your site in my rss reader. Can you Help me, please
June 12th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I AGREE WITH MOST OF THE VIDEO BUT I FELT YOU DID NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY AND PROJECTED YOUR PERSONAL BIAS – FOR EXAMPLE , THE NEW LIGHT BULBS WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE ARE TOXIC TO RECYLE- THE FIRE RETARDENT ON OUR STUFF IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR SAFETY – THE BENEFITS OUT WEIGHT THE NEGATIVES. THE PART ABOUT PRESIDENT BUSH IS NOT NECESSARY YOU LEFT OUT THE CONGRESS AND SENATE- HE WAS NOT ALONE ( THAT IS A PERSONAL OPINION.) ALSO THE PART ABOUT BIG BUSINES – WE NEED PRIVATE BUSINESS TO KEPT THIS ECONOMY GOING – WE DON’T WANT TO BECOME A SOCIALIST SOCIETY- WHERE GOVERMENT OWNS EVERYTHING. AS MY HUSBAND AWAYS SAYS” I NEVER GOT A JOB FROM A POOR MAN.” THERE HAS TO BE REWARDS FOR TAKING A GAMBLE ON AN IDEA AND STARTING A BUSINESS, OTHER WISE NO ONE WOULD TAKE THE RISK. MANY OF THE RICH STARTED OUT WITH AN IDEA AND TOOK A GAMBLE ( MANY TIMES PUTTING EVERYTHING ON THE LINE- SELLING HOME AND ALL THEIR WORDLY POSSESSIONS) AND WORKED 80 HOURS PER WEEK ,7 DAYS A WEEK TO GET THEIR BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND. HOW MANY ACRES OF FOREST BURN EACH YEAR BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH UNDERBRUSH. ALL THE LUMBER THAT WENT UP IN SMOKE. JUST THINK ABOUT HOW MANY HOMES COULD OF BEEN BUILD TO PROVIDE SHELTER FOR PEOPLE IF WE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED LOGGING COMPANIES TO IN. IT IS THIS KIND OF INFORMATION MISSING FROM YOUR VIDEO, THAT MAY MAKES IT PROPAGANDA VERSUS DOCUMENTARY.
June 12th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Sorry, I was commenting on the video, THE STORY OF STUFF. I am new to blogging and I didn’t realize these comments were suppose to be for the article ,THE UGLY SIDE OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY. I have been a person who would just complain to neighbors and friend, my husband or co-workers who basically have the same views on the world as I do. I am a new grandma and now I have a grandson who is going to inherit the world I leave for him, and unlike when I was raising his mother and didn’t have the time, I now have the time and wisdom age brings (not too mention courage ) to be more active and verbal.
July 24th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Hi
I just watched your movie and was really impressed. I have been to many places including africa and have seen and smelt the result of our western consumerism on these beautiful people and environments. I watch westerners poison themselves and their children with Aspartamine,BCP’s and all manner of erronous poisons that we blindly ingest and share. and then we wonder why cancer is growing at a epidemic proportion. It saddens me to think that average american,australian,english and New Zealander do not know how what we do effects so many people/children in a very negative way .. you rock !!
August 26th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Okay you are so against this shave gel. Well it does not take a genius to know u can use the product for other things did you not go to public school. I right away used it as a fun light up toy for my son. Also i have gone through years and years of horrible raiser burn trying to find the right shave gel, cream or lotion to easy the problem. then my boyfriend tried this product and i figured hey its in my bathroom i will try it once. it was the best stuff i have ever used. I love the stuff. If the chemicals in it are harming my body so be it. I can not stand this razor burn no more. Plus have you ever heard of fast food. that’s horrible to but look at how many are in each town. Also what about the commercials about depression medications. those are packed with stuff you would not put in your body by itself but when they are mixed together you will some people call that meth. but pharmacy’s who have there hands on it call it mental health drugs.
September 17th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Please, do forgive me for the mistakes I’ll surely be making in the next paragraphs… I don’t have opportunities to put into practise the English language that I have learned so many years ago. But I still keep the basic knowledge that I’ll never forget fortunately.
I need to tell you what I feel, what I think, what I FEAR for our own future, for the future of our little ones. It´s not enough to change “some” things in this “necrotic” system… We have to change most EVERYTHING if we wish a better future for our own children… please…!!! In the U.S.A. as in Canada, Europe, Japan, China and all the developed countries, the present culture of ilimited consuming habits has to be radically changed to the opposite culture of total AUSTERITY.
I think it’s time for all humankind to be conscious about reality. It’s not possible to go on with this irrational level of industrialization.
Humankind MUST STOP making so many frivolous and unnecessary luxurious products, all dispensable in this necrotic system of ilimited consumption. Our very toxic and contaminating garbage is growing in exponential degree, as well as human population does. Neverending contamination…!!!
Natural resources will soon be exhausted, so the logical reaction SHOULD BE to walk back the same way that brought us all up to this irrational point of neverending consumption.
DECREASE IS one of the two alternatives we have, but the ONLY LOGICAL ALTERNATIVE that IS LEFT in this PATHETIC REALITY that INVOLVES US ALL. The another one is to go on in the same very dramatically wrong way we are since ever.
Industrialization has to DIMINISH to the minimun necessary and vital level.
It’s needed a radical change in all steps of Education to provide the technical, mechanical, manual knowledge to go back to our grandparents’ times or to the style of the Amish people, in order to prepare our children to be able to get their own daily sustenance from mother earth, taking care of it naturally and without agrotoxical and chemical industrialized products. Familiar or community farms, with agricultural cooperatives in small communities should be encouraged to be done elsewhere for the self-sufficiency of goods and supplies. Recycling, restoration, recovering, reparing activities with manual and handicraft labours should be the alternative jobs in the near future for our children, activities of minimum fossil fuels requiry.
Please, do all what is possible for you to encourage the whole World to STOP PRODUCING cars, electronical supplies incompatible with new ones that forces people all around the world to buy new elements instead, luxurious materials, most everything no biodegradable and with very toxic components, etc.etc.etc. Industrialization should be diminished to its minimun necessary level!!!!!
Instead, it has to be produced all types of spare parts to recycle, restore, repare, recover, etc., all types of manual and mechanical elements for all jobs and labours of minimum fossil fuels requiry.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE LITTLE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE STILL LEFT…
NO other alternative energy will be able to sustaine this irrational level of neverending consumption. It’s not enough to go on studying other alternative energies in this irrational and neverending necrotic system of insatiable industrialization.
We are all destroying our unique Planet, we are destroying LIFE elsewhere, contaminating water, air, soil, and intoxicating PEOPLE with MINING and AGRIBUSINESS activities.
Latinamerican people, the poor people in this part of the Third World or of this Latinamerican Developing Countries are suffering since ever in many ways because of long-term unemployment, intoxication, contamination, physical attacks to push them out of their ancestral lands and to be left excluded in poorer areas. All of our communities in Argentina are suffering the consequences of contamination of our soil, air, water natural resources with mining and agribusiness activities of multinational monopolies. The Economic Power of the First World is taking out all our natural resources and destroying our ecosystems, killing LIFE in the vulnerable biodiversity, contaminating our water natural resources, our soil, intoxicating our people, etc.etc.etc.
GREED, SELFISHNESS, LIES, HYPOCRISY, are the values and principles that push people of economic power in the First World since ever.
This is the only truth that explains everything pretty much.
Whoever doesn’t want to see or understand this… it’s simply because he or she feels the same and shares with them the same purposes: to earn more and more BLOODSTAINED MONEY, to hoard PROPERTIES insatiably, etc.etc.etc.
We need to multiplicate our voices exponentially. We have to awaken more and more people all around the world from the basis of this feudal social pyramid. We need to be more and more people all around the World to take notice of this dramatic situation, that makes us feel this same anguish and distress in order to try to change this suicidal way straight to an abyss without return…
Please, you have to visit these other web sites for more information given by suitable professionals of all around the world.
http://www.crisisenergetica.org/
http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse/
http://oilsmokeandmirrors.com/
WE HAVE TO , WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS SUICIDAL WAY STRAIGHT TO AN ABYSS WITHOUT RETURN…!!!
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:51 pm
This video Is Aginst our Military and our Capitalist system. Oh and guess what it shown at our schools. yea our kids are learning that the goverment is our friend and should take care of all of us. STOP THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!