About This Campaign Until the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic, the US plastics industry was losing ground. Bans on plastic packaging were spreading like wildfire across municipalities and state capitals, reflecting a growing consensus against a material tainted in the public mind. Then the pandemic struck. As communities across the nation hunkered down at…
On my sister’s fifth birthday my mother threw a fabulous Ariel themed party. There was a mermaid-shaped cake, face-painting, and to top it all off she sent the guests home with gift bags filled with blue glitter meant to mimic the ocean. Almost exactly sixteen years later I learned the unfortunate irony of the blue…
More About Us What is The Story of Stuff? The Story of Stuff Project started as the online viral sensation The Story of Stuff, and has grown into a movement working to shift the way we make, use and throw away Stuff. Read our story to learn more about this amazing Community! How can I donate? Thanks for…
The Story of Stuff The Story of Stuff, originally released in December 2007, 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…
Episode 1: “Take THAT, Plastic Bags!” Did you know that if everyone in the United States tied their annual consumption of plastic bags together in a giant chain, the chain would reach around the Earth’s equator 776 times!? In our inaugural podcast, Annie speaks with Rose Timmer, a community activist from one of the United…
What is a brand audit? A brand audit is like a litter cleanup – but in addition to picking up trash from a beach, park, or other public area, participants audit the products, materials and brands that are ending up in the environment. Together with our partners in the #breakfreefromplastic movement, this data will help…
Designing Away Plastic Pollution Plastic pollution is a huge problem, especially when it comes to beverage containers like plastic bottles. 1 million plastic bottles are now sold per minute and have become symbolic of a disposable system that’s fueling an ecological and environmental crisis. The good news is that there’s a ready-made system that can…
Community Water Justice:Maine Water Security Summit Gabriel Paul’s Water (nə̀pi) Song of the Penobscot Nation translates to “water / we love you / thank you so much water / we respect you” and is beautifully sung by Gabe’s own niece, Leigh Neptune. The Penobscot Nation relies on the clean fresh water of the Penobscot River…
Are Bioplastics Really Better? With labels like “made from plants” and “biodegradable”, there are a lot of supposedly environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastic. But are bioplastics really any better? Where Does Your Trash End Up? Have you ever wondered where exactly your garbage goes when you throw it away? Should Plastic Producers Pay for Recycling? Why…
