The Story of Stuff

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Dear Fellow Thrifters--

I am passing along a link to a short film entitled "The Story of Stuff".  It's approximately 20 minutes long and I found it hard to watch.  Hard to watch because it confirms what I have personally been feeling and seeing and experiencing about myself, our culture, and global society for many years; namely, the "malling of America" and our religion of consumption.

It upset me so much that I returned a belt I purchased at a retail store NEW (albeit, at 30% off) and will continue to wear the one dollar belt I thrifted until I can find another in a thrift or save my money to buy a great, classic one that will last me until..well, until.   

We as thrifters already understand much of what this film offers, I think, just from our experiences of using others' "stuff", and making it our own.  I tell you that after I finished watching this film, I had an anxiety attack. But this viewing has strengthened my resolve to continue to thrift, reduce even my thrift consumption, donate more and reconsider all the "stuff" facets of my life.

I suggest you NOT watch this before you go to bed, or you might wind up with "consumption anxiety insomnia"  like me    On the bright side, I started cleaning out my closet and made a hefty donation to one of the thrifts I frequent--you know, "Thrift Karma"

Here's the link--

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

I would be very interested in all your ideas perspectives, opinions, after looking at this film, if y'all do.  I know it really rattled my cage.

[foutchie]

I would love to watch, but being on dialup makes videos rather difficult to see well.   But I can understand the idea - I have a friend who works at a trash dump - big stores bring all kinds of new things to dump (large tvs, truckloads of shoes, etc.) instead of donating them to senior centers, poor, thrift, etc. - someone should do a documentary on this!   It's really uncalled for!   I've gotten to the point of used, not new, and donate anything decent that I don't want anymore, or that no longer fits the kids.   In the old days, a dress was passed down, then made into an apron, then undies, then potholders til there was nothing left - never was tossed away!

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Yes, foutchie, that is the idea. I felt like such a slug after watching this film. It really did alter my consciousness a little.

I had an opportunity to visit the Wadsworth a few months ago. The musuem was showing a continuing loop of the processing of garbage. It was horrible. I sat through it a few times, just mesmerized. The ultimate destination of all that processed garbage was, of course, a landfill.

Yesterday one of my thrift' managers told me that they are just overwhelmed with stuff, and asked me not to donate anything until after Christmas. So people are at least donating things instead of throwing them out.

[genuineimitation]

too much stuff is definitely why i thrift.. we try to double check our purchases (can i get this used?) constantly but i still catch myself throwing away - especially packaging and plastic bags. we buy in bulk, i thrift tupperware to help with the plastic cycle, etc., etc.

it is hard to get the concept through to children, especially when they see other kids with "new" stuff. if we can educate the children to the problem, i feel like someday, someone will figure out how to deal with this ridiculous problem. (it will have to be soon!!!) in the meantime, i just try to do what i can, and i bring my children to the thrift stores with me.

[Good Buddy]

As thrift shoppers we are helping the situation even further by purchasing used rather than new.
Cool video SeSo, thanks for posting it.

[foutchie]

It's also ironic that some of the things that were tossed when we were growing up are now high priced "vintage" because so little was saved and passed on - the No. 1 Barbie is a case point - over $1500.00 now for a great looking one!  How many of these are buried in the landfills?!

[alexandra]

I read this post after putting up my blog post today.  I am cleaning my mom's room at her adult living facility.  It's killing me! Not for sentimental reasons... but for the sheer volume of stuff that needs to be dealt with.

I wish that for birthdays, everyone would have just gifted her with food, flowers, candy, meals at restaurants, etc.  If I have to look at one more knick-knack and decide whether to save it for a family member, donate it, or throw it out... well I'm going to scream.  And I will be screaming, because I've only just started.

It's amazing how much dollar store crap gets gifted on folks in nursing homes and adult living facilities.  It's worse when you're the one who later has to clean it all out.

I'm suggesting that anyone who is giving a gift to an elderly person think about who is going to have to ultimately deal with distributing the item eventually... better to give a box of candy or a bunch of flowers!

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[foutchie]

YES!   We usually give all the grandparents gift certificates to eat out - or sometimes to the single woman, shower gel or something similar.  I know our relatives don't need any more things cluttering up their lives!

[ChrisMiss]

Yesterday one of my thrift' managers told me that they are just overwhelmed with stuff, and asked me not to donate anything until after Christmas. So people are at least donating things instead of throwing them out.

Sadly I don't think they're donating to lessen the stuff in their lives though.  This time of year in FL is when most do their spring cleaning, so there are more yard sales and donations.  Also for tax purposes those donations for this year need to be made before the end of the year which is coming up quick.

[ChrisMiss]

Interesting film, it does get you to thinking.  I like to think that I've never been a big consumer but of course we all have at some point.  Even a simple trip to the grocery store for food can consume many of our planets resources.  But we can't eat only raw vegetables grown locally.  I've worked my way closer to green in my drinking habits.  I used to buy soda in cans, too many cans!  Started buying in giant bottles but still too many bottles.  Started buying the drink mixes like Crystal Light that are mixed with water.  A lot less to dispose of but still there is too much.  Why can't it be simple instead of plastic container inside of another plastic container?  I'm trying to work my way down to water only but since we travel the water in many places taste yucky, even after it's been filtered in our water filter.  I may have to resort to Koolaid to reduce the waste I'm disposing of.

Stores disposal of new products instead of giving them away is just too sad.  Many grocery stores do the same thing.  Back in the 80's I had a friend who went dumpster diving behind the grocery store.  There was so much good usable food in there.  Soon the grocery store fenced off the dumpster, I guess there were too many divers.  I've often wondered how much usable stuff is in the dumpster out back when I'm shopping in the store.     

Do you remember the Tightwad Gazette books and articles by Amy Dacyczyn?  She started out with a goal in mind of saving for a home or something like that.  Started thrifty habits, reusing, buying from yard sales and thrift stores, stuff like that and shared hints with others.  I found 2 of her books at a thrift store, lucky me.  My daughter wanted them so after I read some of the many hints I gave them to her.  There are many interesting ideas on being thrifty. 

Recently I caught part of an interesting program on TV.  It mentioned several of the alternative energies that people are pushing for and what is truly the effect on the environment from these choices.  One is an electric car, sounds good but is it really?  Where is the power coming from to charge those batteries?  It's coming from the electric company who now needs to produce more power and use more natural resources to meet the demand for electricity.  Another one was biofuel, is it really better?  Biofuel comes from crops.  Increased demand for these crops will lead to increases in the use of fertilizer, water consumption, etc. to make biofuel.

Wow, I've written all around the subject haven't I. 

[Mattie]

I finally got around to watching this film tonight, and it confirms what I've believed for years:  Americans are stupid cattle who do as advertisers tell them to do.  In other words, shop, buy, use once, throw out, buy new.  It makes me sick. 

I'm doing everything I possibly can do:  I don't own a car (I walk or take the bus everywhere), I buy nearly everything from thrifts, I don't buy much processed food (I'm a vegetarian and I really don't care for a lot of instant stuff), I have a compost bin in the backyard, I recycle as much as possible, I donate back to thrifts, I use compact fluorescents, I take canvas bags to the grocery store instead of getting paper or plastic, I keep the heat turned as low as I comfortably can, I repair and mend and find new uses for old things...I could go on and on.  And I still feel guilty and hopeless.

It seems like for every person who does all these things, there are ten out there who just don't care.  I feel like we're doomed as a society and as a species.

[valleythriftshopper]

If you get downhearted by thinking about how wasteful we are as a nation, this story should cheer you up- http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4008966&page=1  It was a story on ABC World New the other night about "Freegans" who live off of other people's waste.  They take thriftiness to a whole new level! 

[Jay2TheRescue]

If you get downhearted by thinking about how wasteful we are as a nation, this story should cheer you up- http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4008966&page=1  It was a story on ABC World New the other night about "Freegans" who live off of other people's waste.  They take thriftiness to a whole new level!  

Freegans?  I thought that fell under the category of homeless.

-Jay