The Story of Stuff: The Impact of Overconsumption on the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health-...
By tracking the life of stuff, Leonard explores why overconsumption is trashing the planet, our communities, and our health--and how we can make it...
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reviews
Feb 17, 2012
Jim
rated it: 
I think this is a really important book. There is a lot of bad news, and it is not what we want to hear, but we certainly need to. There is also good news - a long list of positive suggestions, with links, that point the way out of the trash and into a sustainable future.
I read dystopian novels, in part, to get a sense of what horrors the future may hold, and how people can or cannot adapt to them. The fact that many of those books are ripping good reads is also a big attraction. The More...
I read dystopian novels, in part, to get a sense of what horrors the future may hold, and how people can or cannot adapt to them. The fact that many of those books are ripping good reads is also a big attraction. The More...
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Jun 01, 2011
Brenda
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"The Story Of Stuff" is a thought provoking book, but also a bit depressing if you really think about it. Before picking up this book I thought I was doing my part to keep the planet green, I use freecycle regularly to get rid of my unwanted stuff, I also donate to Goodwill, and try to recycle as much as I can, but heck I learned that many of the things that I recycle have toxic material in them, so instead of recycling more I need to try and waste less.
The author does a g More...
The author does a g More...
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Jun 01, 2011
Leslie
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Americans live in a consumer society. We are constantly bombarded by advertising and encouraged to buy more and more. Purchasing something new is supposed to make us happy. We are even told it’s patriotic to shop, spend money, get the economy moving. But how many of us ever think about what it takes to produce all this stuff and ship it to stores or our homes and then haul it off to the dump to dispose of it when we are done with it. After reading The Story of Stuff, it’s difficult to look at ‘s
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Jan 07, 2012
Karin
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Interesting quotes:
pg 149:It turns out more stuff doesn't make us happier especiallly when we factor in the extra time we have to work to pay for it and maintain it, even the time we spend just looking for it in our stuff-filled drawers and cupboards and homes. Meanwhile increased unhappiness results from our deteriorating social relationships.Relationships with family, peers, colleagues,neighbours, and community members have proven over and over to be the biggest determining factor More...
pg 149:It turns out more stuff doesn't make us happier especiallly when we factor in the extra time we have to work to pay for it and maintain it, even the time we spend just looking for it in our stuff-filled drawers and cupboards and homes. Meanwhile increased unhappiness results from our deteriorating social relationships.Relationships with family, peers, colleagues,neighbours, and community members have proven over and over to be the biggest determining factor More...
Jan 02, 2012
JC
rated it:
This book has made me rethink my choices daily. I am one of those people that plays consumer regularly, doesn't think about what I am throwing away and what effects my actions have on the environment. This book has opened my eyes to the fact that I need to understand the choices and how they are impacting the future of the earth. This book goes through how stuff is created and used from the very beginning of when forests are cut down or water is used all the way through to when you throw it out
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Dec 13, 2011
Emily
rated it: 
Overall this was a good book. I definitely learned new things about how things are made, how materials are extracted, etc and all the toxic waste that is made from those processes. It's a little overwhelming in that the problems seem so huge and what am I, one person, supposed to do about it. I also thought that she could have given more suggestions and ideas for people living in different circumstances than she does. She owns a house in Berkeley and has the means (which you have to have if you
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Mar 25, 2011
Trevor
rated it:
I haven’t seen this film – I will probably need to track it down now. This brings together a lot of things I have been thinking about lately in ways I have also been coming to slowly. However, it was just about the last place I expected to find some of these ideas. What I was expecting was a kind of sermon on the death of the planet (which it almost was in part) – in the modern world it is environmentalists who are cast as the ‘hell-fire and brimstone’ preachers (“I’ve seen the light – I will
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Mar 22, 2011
Brenda
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This book is fascinating - to say the least. Let me begin by giving you a bit of background on the author - Annie Leonard. Ms. Leonard is an expert in international sustainability and environmental health issues. She has testified in front of Congress, publicly debated a US Stated Department representative, and done hundreds of public presentations. (all of that came from her press release). Just knowing that about her made me want to read this book - she must have a great deal of knowledge abo
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Oct 06, 2010
adllto
rated it:
A heavy read as Annie Leonard comes with comprehensive experience in global social economic issues. She is obviously critical but I did not find her polemical. I have not read any reviews of her work or seen her internet documentary.
Two very key ideas stick in my mind. You cannot solve a problem by staying within the paradigm or the way of thinking that generated it. This is a paraphrase of leonard which in turn is a paraphrase of Einstein. The other is that we cannot simply separate t More...
Two very key ideas stick in my mind. You cannot solve a problem by staying within the paradigm or the way of thinking that generated it. This is a paraphrase of leonard which in turn is a paraphrase of Einstein. The other is that we cannot simply separate t More...
Jul 30, 2010
Tammy
rated it:
This book goes way beyond exhorting readers to recycle (in fact, author Annie Leonard actually speaks the heresy that recycling carries some negative implications). This book follows our Stuff from extraction to production to distribution to consumption to disposal.
The result is a horror story. It is a story in which I’m completely implicated – to my great discomfort, because I like my Stuff.
I found reading the book uncomfortable – like watching a documentary about thin More...
The result is a horror story. It is a story in which I’m completely implicated – to my great discomfort, because I like my Stuff.
I found reading the book uncomfortable – like watching a documentary about thin More...
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Jul 10, 2010
Keith
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This is an excellent book. Parts of it are a bit hard to get through; it drags, and the five section headings are perhaps deliberately chosen to be not-exciting: "Extraction," "Production," "Distribution," "Consumption," and "Disposal." I read probably 80%-90% of the whole thing. However, I noticed that it picked up in the last section ("Disposal"), which is evidently Leonard's special expertise and passion. The story about how toxi
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Feb 06, 2011
Heather
rated it:
Bleak. An uncomfortable read. I don't know how you could read this and not feel pessimistic. That as a species, on a global level, what appears to most important to us, more important than anything else and the paradigm upon which all other things are based is .... greed.
Leonard expertly guides us through the hard truths of our global, capitalist, consumer economy in 5 chapters: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. She explains how everything exists as par More...
Leonard expertly guides us through the hard truths of our global, capitalist, consumer economy in 5 chapters: extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. She explains how everything exists as par More...
Oct 02, 2011
Carlos
rated it:
A História das Coisas é um livro que sublinha o estado insustentável em que o planeta se encontra devido à actividade humana.
O livro encontra-se bem estruturado, analisando aquilo que está a ser (muito) mal feito, bem feito ou que alternativas existem ao longo das diversas etapas da construção de uma coisa. Desde a extracção até ao consumo das coisas, existem processos, produtos e práticas que simplesmente têm de ser completamente abandonadas e outras reformuladas para que o nosso m More...
O livro encontra-se bem estruturado, analisando aquilo que está a ser (muito) mal feito, bem feito ou que alternativas existem ao longo das diversas etapas da construção de uma coisa. Desde a extracção até ao consumo das coisas, existem processos, produtos e práticas que simplesmente têm de ser completamente abandonadas e outras reformuladas para que o nosso m More...
May 12, 2010
Terez
rated it:
I happened upon this book by chance while browsing at the library and I'm so glad I did.
'The Story Of Stuff' is a passionate plea for us to wake up to the high price we are paying for our current culture of unrestrained conspicuous consumption.
What is the price we are paying? The very well being of our precious planet, the Earth itself.
Topics covered in detail in this book include how big industry (by the almost non-stop barrage of sales and marketing campai More...
'The Story Of Stuff' is a passionate plea for us to wake up to the high price we are paying for our current culture of unrestrained conspicuous consumption.
What is the price we are paying? The very well being of our precious planet, the Earth itself.
Topics covered in detail in this book include how big industry (by the almost non-stop barrage of sales and marketing campai More...
Sep 11, 2011
Crystal
rated it:
The Story of Stuff is one of the most depressing books I’ve ever read. Annie Leonard has an important message, and I think it comes across loud and clear. However, when talking about the pitiful state of the environment, there’s a fine line that authors must walk. If they go too far, they just leave people feeling sad and unempowered. If they don’t go far enough, they may fail to communicate the gravity of the situation. I think Leonard may have swung a little too far in one direction, because I
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Nov 12, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
Loved this book, all consumers uh I mean individuals should read it. As with food, the journey of our stuff is almost always hidden and complex, the only thing we see is the shiny things on the store shelves and rarely give thought to the people and places that were exploited to get it there. I especially enjoyed the introduction which combats some of the misconceptions that a reader might have. This book is not anti- stuff, it helps you see the incredible value of our stuff. This book is not an
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May 23, 2010
Judy
rated it:
Annie Leonard does an excellent job of presenting the big picture of the environmental problems of our planet without laying a guilt trip and without being patronizing. She describes the manufacturing process from the extraction of the minerals, through the production phase, the distribution process, our consumption and disposal. This book is well-documented, easy-to-read and practical.
Ms Leonard, I believe, correctly lays the majority of the blame for the consumeristic approach to More...
Ms Leonard, I believe, correctly lays the majority of the blame for the consumeristic approach to More...
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Mar 25, 2011
Kavyen
rated it:
The book is split into 5 sections as “Extraction”, “Production”, “Distribution”, “Consumption” and “Disposal”.
Extraction:
Did you know that one in six people don’t have access to safe drinking water and every day thousands of people die because they don’t have access to clean water?
Did you know that over half of the mine workers in Rajasthan, India have developed lung diseases?
Did you know that in the process of getting to Coltan (mineral used in cellphones) many national More...
Extraction:
Did you know that one in six people don’t have access to safe drinking water and every day thousands of people die because they don’t have access to clean water?
Did you know that over half of the mine workers in Rajasthan, India have developed lung diseases?
Did you know that in the process of getting to Coltan (mineral used in cellphones) many national More...
Feb 20, 2011
Mandy
rated it:
We live in a disposable society, which might not matter if we didn't live in a finite world. Annie Leonard, writer and producer of the now renowned The Story of Stuff video has addressed a deeply polarizing topic. Her informative and non-shaming approach to the global issues of mass consumerism challenges us to think about the way we live our lives. Written in a conversational tone, Leonard manages to incorporate economics, politics, and environmental science in a format which everyone can under
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Aug 27, 2010
thatbookgirl
rated it:
Excellent book overall. It was very informative and I really appreciate the way Leonard underlines the value of living a less wasteful life. My family are not eco-nuts yet my parents produce around one small shopping bag of trash a week, considerably less than most Americans. They were simply brought up by a generation that had been through the depression and WW2 and felt that common sense was to waste less. There is a nobility in that way of life, it's not an imposition. My father composts his
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Jul 27, 2011
Stampie
rated it:
This book is an absolute MUST READ!!!! I had never really thought about my "stuff", from where it was mined/made/built/etc, to where it went when I was finished with it.
This book teaches the "story of stuff" and makes the reader evaluate the way we have been living our lives in the US (taking advantage of poorer nations for their materials, work, health, etc) and our tendency of over consuming.
After reading this book, I want to be more involved in my community, work towards More...
This book teaches the "story of stuff" and makes the reader evaluate the way we have been living our lives in the US (taking advantage of poorer nations for their materials, work, health, etc) and our tendency of over consuming.
After reading this book, I want to be more involved in my community, work towards More...
Feb 16, 2011
L.
rated it:
In today's society, many of us own too much "stuff," and according to The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard, most of that stuff is toxic.
Based on the acclaimed, same-entitled webfilm, The Story of Stuff outlines the social, economical, environmental, and health impacts on the production, distribution, consumerism, and even the disposal of the "stuff" we obtain over a matter of time.
The book outlines effects of "big box" companies such as More...
Based on the acclaimed, same-entitled webfilm, The Story of Stuff outlines the social, economical, environmental, and health impacts on the production, distribution, consumerism, and even the disposal of the "stuff" we obtain over a matter of time.
The book outlines effects of "big box" companies such as More...
Sep 02, 2010
Sueij
rated it: 
I wish the Goodreads rating system had a way to mark "I just couldn't finish it," because I didn't get past the middle of the first chapter with this one.
I had heard an interview with the author on NPR and it was great, so I was very excited and waited for ages to rise to the top of this list and get this from the library. But (a) it turns out to be topics and information that I personally have read, heard, lived and worked for years. It might be a great book for people who More...
I had heard an interview with the author on NPR and it was great, so I was very excited and waited for ages to rise to the top of this list and get this from the library. But (a) it turns out to be topics and information that I personally have read, heard, lived and worked for years. It might be a great book for people who More...
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Feb 25, 2011
Sara
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This is a very important book, it is also a very disheartening book - it tells the truth about the absolute trashing of our planet in our relentless pursuit of Stuff.
The biggest message I gleaned from it is that the things we buy ($4.99 Target t-shirts, for example) have a much higher REAL cost, in destruction to communities, resources, etc. And unless we actually NEED a $4.99 t-shirt, we shouldn't be buying one just because it's cute, or "cheap". Because nothing is "c More...
The biggest message I gleaned from it is that the things we buy ($4.99 Target t-shirts, for example) have a much higher REAL cost, in destruction to communities, resources, etc. And unless we actually NEED a $4.99 t-shirt, we shouldn't be buying one just because it's cute, or "cheap". Because nothing is "c More...
Jun 19, 2010
Mike
rated it:
Some parts of the book were interesting and informative, but many of the statistics are presented in a less than forthright manner. I found this out by simply looking up her own sources, which she has plenty of. In the end, I decided not to finish this book because it would be too large of a time investment to fact-check most of the "objective" statements in this book; and I wouldn't feel comfortable reading this book in its entirety without doing so. It's kind of disappointing - I was
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Apr 03, 2011
Annie Leonard: poor, delusional author sounds like me when I was 13, (ill informed, outraged, and idealistic). She unfortunately does not really know any science at all (a real poser), has no business writing about this "stuff", and should just stick to writing lefty propaganda for the free throw away rags found in metro subway "FREE" bins.
She makes stuff up, misinterprets published data to support her ideas, and probably just does not have the capacity to underst More...
She makes stuff up, misinterprets published data to support her ideas, and probably just does not have the capacity to underst More...
Feb 24, 2011
Jenny
rated it:
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
--John Muir, wilderness advocate
This book may garner intense reactions. You may find yourself vowing to make drastic changes to your life. You may throw the book aside in disgust and chalk it up to environmentalists’ hysteria. You might become paralyzed by the staggering scope of problems our industrial complex has created, and simply do nothing and hope a m More...
--John Muir, wilderness advocate
This book may garner intense reactions. You may find yourself vowing to make drastic changes to your life. You may throw the book aside in disgust and chalk it up to environmentalists’ hysteria. You might become paralyzed by the staggering scope of problems our industrial complex has created, and simply do nothing and hope a m More...
Feb 23, 2011
Laurie
rated it:
Read it and change: That's the bottom line. If you invest your time and strict attention in this content-rich but conversationally written tome, you can't help but act in ways kinder to people, to the planet, and to your stuff as well. Not a bad investment of your reading time, eh?
Why you'd want to read it:
* You watched the short online video "The Story of Stuff", got hooked, got curious, or got skeptical: You want more background info. so you can feel convi More...
Why you'd want to read it:
* You watched the short online video "The Story of Stuff", got hooked, got curious, or got skeptical: You want more background info. so you can feel convi More...
Sep 10, 2011
Katie
rated it:
Despite the fact that it's a seemingly cliche thing to say, this book has changed my life. I watched Leonard's "Story of Stuff" a few years ago, and found it thought-provoking and troublesome, and I changed some of my habits as a result. This book had the same effect on me, but in a more profound way.
The statistics Leonard shares in this book are more than just troublesome, they are terrifying. We all know we only have one planet Earth, but we don't often think that the exp More...
The statistics Leonard shares in this book are more than just troublesome, they are terrifying. We all know we only have one planet Earth, but we don't often think that the exp More...
Mar 12, 2011
Mary (BookHounds)
rated it:
The Story of Stuff isn't exactly a page turner, it will make you think about stuff and how it impacts your daily life. Stuff can either make or break this planet and at the present time, it looks pretty negative. This handbook will help you understand and figure out what you can do to make your world better. I think that the author has a lot of things right in this book. Television causes people to increase their wants and not necessarily their needs.
Annie Leonard explains how ea More...
Annie Leonard explains how ea More...
