Eye of Modok

My friend percussionist Larry Mahlis sent me a link to a wonderful site that I think has the potential to change lives, and, perhaps, even the world. The Story of Stuff is the brainchild of Annie Leonard, and I must say, I like her brain.

Here’s a description from the site:

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the presentation is the way it call attention to the fact that even if we decide to move our dirty, stinking, toxic polluting factories overseas, it does not make us any less culpable for the damage thus caused. It’s all too easy for the media to get up in arms about lead paint in toys from China, yet neglect to comment at all about the toxic damage done to the workers and the environment in “the factory of the world.” Christine Lu has some good comments on the subject.

Please stop what you are doing and watch this video, and then tell all of your family and friends about it!