Love or hate Al Gore and his message on global catastrophe, you have to stop and think for a moment… what our actual impact, our individual impact on this frail little planet is.
And whether you are sitting in a Tim Horton’s doughnut shop right now, rolling up the empty rim on your empty paper and wax cup (after having a soothing cup of hot Tim Horton’s coffee and couple of artery shattering Maple Dip doughtnuts (like I did yesterday on my way to the B.C. Ferry Terminal in Tsawsassen British Columbia…) or sitting in your idling S.U.V. at the McDonald’s or Starbuck’s drive-through with your wailing spawn in the 6 pull-out seats…
You have to think… for just a fleeting moment… between sips of that soothing beverage or nibbles on that wonderful fatty goodness…
That maybe, just maybe… something is a little amiss… or out of balance…
or ever so unsustainable… in the way you share this planet with your fellow Man.
And if Al Gore’s obvious and inconvenient message is a little too wordy for you (It was for me…) than maybe getting lectured by Annie would be more suitable.
Annie Leonard’s 20 minute flash video presents a sobering message with straight and uncomplicated talk… kind of like my Grade 1 teacher who reminded me of the consequences of wrestling little Raymond Rafferty to the ground and leaving his nose bloody… actually folks, she was lecturing Raymond about not pushing my face into the clay… but that is another story.
Living in a highly developed nation, like Canada (and for some of my readers, the U.S. of A.) we have an obligation to, at least, try and get it… to try and look around our World and maybe, just maybe just lift an arm or two to try and make a difference.
So. If you have even the slightest inkling that something is a little out of sorts in the way we Westerners live… well, PLEASE have a look at this video or the You-Tube shorts.
Some prerequisite reading for this article – Roll up the Rim to Pollute!
Comments
2 responses to “The Story of Stuff”
Thank you Colin for following up on my suggestion as to people viewing The Story of Stuff. I certainly found it provoking myself and was prompted to share it amongst all those I knew or had contact with. You lay out a very good ‘typical day lived’ for many people, a lifestyle often of which we are all guilty and complacent about at one time or another and to one degree or another. Again, thank you for the contribution. By the way, I can also be found on Facebook, where I have set up a couple of ‘discussion groups’ on my page. They are fledgling at this time, but hopefully will build steam: The Annual Thames River Cleanup and Go Green: Step Up to the Plate. I never thought I would join Facebook, but am finding at the least, it is in opportunity to share experiences and suggestions. It was a link within Facebook that brought me to this blog in the first place! My only concern is that people ‘join’ but don’t contribute. Kind of like some people become ‘internet finger happy activists’, but it ends there.
I’ve been an ardent consumer all my life. Yeah, it’s true, and everytime I “splurge” guilt pulses through me. I know all this! But Annie puts it all together in such a holistic way that any fool (a little self flagulation there) can “get it”. What a great reminder. I found Al’s talk, while absolutely bang on, to be a little omigod! While Annie is able to leave us with enough breath to activate.
YOU CN are an excellent writer. Good stuff.