Friday Featured Friend -- Annie Leonard

After releasing her amazing 20 minute video, The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard continues the tale this month with the release of her new The Story Of Stuff book.

If you haven't seen The Story of Stuff video yet, I really recommend you to take some time and check it out now.  As Annie describes, "The Story of Stuff takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the real costs of our consumer driven culture—from resource extraction to iPod incineration".  It's a rollercoaster of vitally important, often shocking information about what happens to the stuff we take for granted in everyday life.

Annie Leonard says about her background and the inspiration for creating The Story of Stuff video and book:

"In college, I developed a fascination about the garbage on the streets of New York. Where did it all come from? Where did it all go?

After graduation I went to work for Greenpeace, investigating the international waste trade. My work took me around the world, and I learned firsthand about the way we distribute, consume, and dispose of our Stuff-what I call the take-make-waste model.  What I learned is that everything is part of a larger system and nothing can be understood without looking at all the other parts of the system. Everything is connected. When you try to trace the source and the true cost of your Stuff, whether it's your T-shirt or your cellphone, you find that it takes a whole system to make anything. 

The thing is, very few people want to talk about that system. I mean, most of our political leaders are still focused on economic growth for growth's sake, when our real goal should be ensuring that our fellow human beings live fuller, healthier lives. Right?  I don't have to tell you that the shift we need to make to ensure our children and their children live in a healthier, more just world is big. Really big."

Over the next few weeks Annie will be travelling around the US on a Story of Stuff book tour, so check out to see if she's coming to your town.

You can also find out more about Annie Leonard and The Story of Stuff on Facebook, Twitter or buy The Story of Stuff book here.