To fit in at high school, there’s a demand for stuff; fashionable clothes, nice cars, and snazzy gadgets are all material objects that help establish a sense of identity. Have you ever wondered where all this stuff comes from or how much it really costs? In this lesson, students will watch “The Story of Stuff” and reflect on the true costs of the things they buy.
Additional Resources:
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Related Videos (Story of Bottled Water, Story of Cosmetics, etc)
Materials Needed:
Activities
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Watch the video “The Story of Stuff”
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Have students pick an item they are carrying on them and describe what materials went into making it, how much it costs, where it was made, and how long they will use it for. See how many think the cost of their item reflects the true value.
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Using the database on the Life Cycle Analysis website, see if you can find the LCA’s of different products.
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After the video, have students write a reflection or describe how this information might change their purchasing decisions.
Potential Student Questions and Answers
Q: What is an LCA?
A: LCA stands for Life Cycle Analysis and is a method of determining the environmental impact of a product or service. Life cycle analyses consider resources used to manufacture products, the fuels used to transport and construct the materials, the impact of the product after it is thrown away, and many other aspects.
Q: Why is it bad to put our garbage into landfills?
A: One of the main reasons that landfills are not ideal is that they produce methane, a greenhouse gas, as the garbage decomposes. Many landfills are now trying to trap that gas to use as energy, which is helpful in lessening the detrimental effects of landfills. Landfills are designed to prevent leaking, but sometimes accidents happen and water supplies are contaminated by runoff from landfills. Lots of the things that are thrown away in landfills break down much more slowly in landfills than they would if they were exposed to air. Relatively large amounts of space are needed to hold all of the garbage. In many places, there isn’t enough land area to make a landfill, so garbage has to be transported to other sites.
Q: Is it realistic to think that the current system will change?
A: While it would take a lot of time and work from many dedicated people, it is possible that we can change our current system. As an individual consumer, you have the power to influence the demand of products by making educated decisions when purchasing goods. By consuming only what is necessary and working to seriously reduce, reuse, and recycle, we can begin to change our consumer cycle. Legal and systematic change will be necessary as well, so become an active citizen in your community and work with others too. We can only do this enormous task of building a better world together.
Focus the Classroom 