The Story of Stuff

Ever wonder what it took to produce and ship all that stuff at the store? Or why your cell phone is obsolete after about a year? And why do we feel the need to buy things that we already have?

The writer and lead actor in the video, Annie Leonard, is an expert in international sustainability and environmental health issues, with more than 20 years of experience investigating factories and dumps around the world. In the Story of Stuff Annie surveys the “materials economy” and its impact on our environment and health. She looks at the extraction of natural resources, the production and distribution of finished goods, the consumption of the products and finally their disposal.

The video will educate you, make you laugh, and possibly get you a little choked up. If anything, it’ll make you think twice before buying another cheap knick knack. Please watch it and share your reactions. Then forward it on to your friends to see what they have to say.

Click here to watch the video.

Trouble letting go?

Need some inspiration to let go of a few things just lying around the house? This guy has a fantastic sense of humor about the subject.

Repair or Replace?

As long as you've got electronics and appliances in your home, you're inevitably going to be faced with a choice: Something breaks. Now what?

According to a 2005 Consumer Reports survey, Americans are repairing 16 percent fewer products—including high-cost items like television sets and refrigerators—than in 1997. The number of appliance-repairs shops has declined roughly 37 percent in 15 years while the number of electronics-repair shops has plummeted by 64 percent. So-called "e-waste"--computer monitors, televisions and other electronic waste—is the fastest growing portion of the U.S. waste stream. In 2005, electronics accounted for 2.63 million tons of waste—only 12.5 percent of which was recycled.

If you're lucky enough to find a repair shop, it may seem that the best environmental option would be to hang on to old appliances and electronics for as long as possible. Along with the environmental impact of new-product production, there's another concern: Many electronics contain heavy metals (such as lead and mercury), flame retardants and other toxic chemicals that can wash into waterways and pollute groundwater if sent to a landfill. But older products can be a big drain of household energy. "You need to consider buying a new product—which must be manufactured—or fixing your existing product, which may not be up to the latest energy standards," says Greg Keoleian, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan.

From a price perspective, if the cost to repair a household appliance is more than half the price of a new product, advances in energy efficiency will generally make buying a newer model the cheaper choice. Based on these numbers and considering today's more environmentally friendly technologies, here's a guide to when you should repair or replace.
Read the whole story.

It's finally here!

Every day, I come across a news story or a new home product that I can’t wait to tell people about. Enter: THE BLOG, where I’ll be posting those fabulous finds.

In addition to new products and new news, I’ll also be sharing my ideas on how to solve various organizing conundrums.

First up, the Organized File Folders by Bob’s Your Uncle.

This set of six folders is inspired by Robert DeNiro in the movie Taxi Driver.

You can pick up a set at Greener Grass Design for a lowly $12.