The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff is an educational 20 minute viral video experience that has been seen many millions of times by people around the world.  The video, which lays out the effects on the world from human consumption, “has become a sleeper hit in classrooms across the nation,” according to the New York Times.

In her presentation of the process from extraction through production, distribution, consumption and disposal, Annie takes a look at the use of brominated flame retardant chemicals (BFRs).  BFRs are used in all sorts of stuff, including mattresses, computers, sofas, and appliances. She describes BFRs as chemicals that make things more fireproof but they are “super toxic’ and toxic to the brain. “What are we even doing using a chemical like this?” she asks.

Good point. Environmental health activists in Vermont won a victory last week, banning deca, a form of BFR.  Maine and Washington State have also banned deca and other BFRs have been banned in 11 states. In some cases firefighters, who rush into burning buildings full of toxic chemicals, support bans on BFRs and have urged that safer flame retardants be developed and utilized, in part to help eliminate a potential risk factor behind the high rates of cancer experienced by firefighters.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, who founded the Ocean Futures Society, took up the cause to eliminate BFRs after they were found in the bodies of killer whales.  Cousteau blames regulations in California, which require saturation of toxic flame retardants on baby products, foam furniture and home electronics. See Cousteau’s dedicated website to this issue, Toxic Flame Retardants.

Annie’s Story of Stuff has caught some flack for being critical of corporations and the federal government, which she states is not doing enough to protect the environment and people in the US and the world. After one parent complained the video was “anticapitalist,” a school board in Missoula County, Montana, found the showing of Story of Stuff violated the district’s policy on presentation of controversial issues.

The public comments section of the New York Times article has a number of complaints about the perspective presented in Story of Stuff, with some accusing Annie of “scare mongering,” using “demagogy,” and making “neurotic, unhappy worrywart children.”

But detractors miss the point.  Only by understanding what is actually happening in the world can people act together to prevent harm to each other and to the environment.  Ultimately, the Story of Stuff is a story of hope that by working together, people can "create something new."  Hey Annie - we're with you.