HOT PICKS [FRIDAY]

Stuff It

February 22, 2008

Your iPod rocks your world and you’d be stranded without your cell. You’re sporting the hottest ankle boots while zipping around town on your cool retro cruiser. Sure, you love your stuff (who doesn’t?), but have you ever stopped and thought about where it comes from, and where it goes?

That’s a question Annie Leonard couldn’t ignore. Leonard, an expert in international sustainability and environmental health issues, spent 20 years criss-crossing the globe investigating factories and dumps, and tracking exported waste. In her film “The Story of Stuff,” Leonard illustrates the life cycle of our goods, from how they’re thought up to when they’re thrown out, in 20 precious minutes.

The picture isn’t pretty. Leonard cites articles written in the 1950s by industrial designers who explain the value of “planned obsolescence” and “perceived obsolescence” - in other words, the value of producing goods that will soon be useless. Add to this the impact our stuff is having on less fortunate people around the world (all them polluting factories ain’t in Canada, ya know) and you may just pause the next time you reach for that fancy new cell - and decide to keep the old one for another few years.

Watch the streaming video at www.thestoryofstuff.com

Wood is the way to go in yesterday's Vancouver Trendz. Have you entered this week's Contest yet? Win 3 months free DVD Rentals-by-Mail from Videomatica.ca.